The legal framework for education in Timor-Leste flows from the Constitution, which recognises every citizen’s right to education and culture and obliges the State to guarantee universal, compulsory and, as far as possible, free basic education.
Principal Legislation
Education System Framework Law , Law No. 14/2008 of 29 October
The Base Law of Education establishes the general legal framework for the organisation and regulation of the entire education system. It guarantees the freedom to learn and to teach, defines the levels of the system , pre-school education, nine years of basic education, secondary education (general and technical-vocational), higher education and recurrent education , and sets out the responsibilities of the State at each level.
Teaching Career Regime , Decree-Law No. 23/2010 of 9 December
The Statute of the Teaching Career, adopted in conjunction with Article 50 of Law No. 14/2008, regulates entry into and progression within the teaching career. It defines qualification requirements for teachers, along with expectations relating to official languages, subject knowledge, pedagogy and professional ethics.
Curriculum Legislation
Decree-laws adopted in 2014–2015 approved the national curricula for pre-school education and for the first and second cycles of basic education, introducing progression from Tetum to Portuguese as languages of instruction in the early grades.
Organic Law of the Ministry
The Ministry’s structure, mandate and services are established by its organic law, adopted under the framework of each constitutional government. The current structure is described on the organisational chart page.
Where to Find Official Texts
Authentic texts of all laws, decree-laws, government decrees and ministerial diplomas are published in the Jornal da República, the official gazette of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, available at mj.gov.tl/jornal.