Paulina Quintso – The Director General of the Ministry of Education Antoninho Pires said that in 2015 the ministry was able to rehabilitate over 300 schools across the whole Timorese territory.
He added that some schools were only renovated while others received additional classrooms and other facilities.
"We will continue to rehabilitate schools that have been already identified including increasing classrooms and we will allocate the necessary funds," said DG Pires, from his office in Vila Verde, in Dili.
He added that in 2013 the ministry identified some 800 schools that were damaged and were in need of renovations. From 2014 to 2015 the ministry was able to rehabilitate more than 500 schools.
DG Pires said also that the school rehabilitation consists of a complete package including toilet facilities and access to clean water and that the National Development Agency (ADN) is responsible for the rehabilitation work.
Meanwhile, National Member of Parliament MP Manuel Castro urged ADN to clarify how the budget approved by the National Parliament for school's rehabilitation has been used because many schools are still damaged and do not have chairs.
MP Castro added that in 2014 the parliament approved $25 million dollars to resolve issues with school's infrastructure but in reality many schools are damaged and students continue to sit of the floor.
"I have been following the developments of these projects. Some schools have been built but not plastered and have been left like that," said the MP.
He believes the challenges to education have not yet been resolved because the government has wasted much money but schools continue to lack adequate conditions.