Transforming education in Timor-Leste

Timor-Leste has made significant progress expanding access to education, but there are challenges with age-appropriate entry into basic education, dropout, low learning levels, and barriers to education for children with disabilities.

Timor-Leste’s Partnership Compact marks the country’s commitment to ensuring that all students are given equal opportunities for school success and to become productive citizens.

The government is working with GPE and other partners to initiate integrated systems reforms to improve inclusive and equitable access and participation in quality education. The reform is organized into four focus areas:

  1. Data collection on children with disabilities to enable identification and implementation of appropriate interventions
  2. Education workforce development to support quality and inclusive education
  3. Family and community engagement to enhance access, and
  4. Education quality, particularly better curriculum implementation and assessment of students’ learning needs.

Gender-responsive planning and policy development are embedded across reform efforts to address the education challenges unique to both girls and boys.

Result story

In Timor-Leste, “school goes home” during coronavirus

School closures forced by the coronavirus pandemic in Timor-Leste have disrupted learning for 400,000 students. With GPE’s support, the government of Timor-Leste is ensuring learning continues during this unprecedented time, while preparing schools for safe reopening.

Key data

60%

of children start learning one year before entering primary school

10%

of government expenditure on education

Grants

(data as of December 21, 2024)

 
  • Type: Program development

    Years: 2024 - 2025

    Allocation: US$191,869

    Utilization: 0

    Grant agent: UNICEF

  • Type: System capacity

    Years: 2023 - 2027

    Allocation: US$644,000

    Utilization: US$113,778

    Grant agent: UNICEF

  • Type: Program implementation and Multiplier

    Years: 2020 - 2025

    Allocation: US$9,100,000

    Utilization: US$3,022,661

    Grant agent: WB

Civil society engagement

As part of its investment in civil society advocacy and social accountability efforts, GPE’s Education Out Loud fund is supporting the Civil Society Education Partnership (CSEP) for the 2024-2026 period. This builds on previous support from the Civil Society Education Fund (CSEF).

Learn more

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