KOICA and UNICEF sign Grant Arrangement to support Early Childhood Education in Timor-Leste

DILI, 27 August 2025 – KOICA and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) signed a Grant Arrangement totalling USD 6 million, which will support the Early Childhood Education Programme in Timor-Leste from 2024 to 2027. The partnership, including co-financing of USD 400,000 from UNICEF Timor-Leste, will help children aged three to five years reach their full potential through access to high-quality early childhood development programmes in Bobonaro and Baucau municipalities

The signing ceremony, held at KOICA Timor-Leste office, was attended by representatives from both organizations, and representatives from the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Finance. The arrangement marks the beginning of a multi-year partnership that will focus on enhancing early childhood education through capacity building, infrastructure development, curriculum support, and community engagement.

Access to education services has improved significantly since the country’s Independence in 2002 with a near universal (91.7%) net enrolment at primary level (M 88.53; F 95.10). However, the country still has a long way to go for the provision of preschool education with low net enrolments. NER for pre-primary is only 23.5% (M:22.85 F;24.35%) which indicates that nearly one out of five children do not have access to early childhood education and the foundation for school readiness. Overall, substantial efforts are needed to meet the SDG 4.2 target of access for all children to one year of quality pre-primary education by 2030.

The key challenges include the lack of preschools particularly in rural areas (and low awareness of parents on the importance) and need for a trained workforce to support children in early years of learning and development and prepare them to transition to primary schools.

This partnership arrangement is aligned with the priorities of the Ministry of Education to expand quality Early Childhood Education. The project itself was developed in close coordination with Ministry of Education, KOICA and UNICEF.

Ms. Youn Hwa Kang, Country Director of KOICA Timor-Leste, highlighted that this partnership arrangement reflects a shared commitment to the future of Timor-Leste’s children, reaffirming KOICA’s support to UNICEF and establishing a strong foundation for early childhood education. She added that, in coordination with the Ministry of Education, priority villages in Baucau and Bobonaro will be identified to ensure all children have the opportunity to thrive.

Evidence shows that high-quality Early Childhood Education significantly enhances children's cognitive skills, including literacy, numeracy, reasoning, and problem-solving. These skills are critical for school readiness and future academic success.

UNICEF Country Representative Ms Patrizia DiGiovanni while speaking on the occasion said, “we are honoured to collaborate with KOICA and Ministry of Education on this initiative where we will have an opportunity to bring early childhood education to our youngest citizens”. She also appreciated the role of Ministry of Finance as it reflects the deep commitment to ensure children learn and thrive.

The project will be implemented in the municipalities of Baucau and Bobonaro, with a focus on reaching underserved communities and promoting equity in education. The project is set to support early childhood education for over 3000 children aged 3-5 years in these municipalities. Key components of the project include construction of public and community-based preschools to improve access to preschool education; strengthen the capacity of preschool workforce to provide quality, inclusive early childhood education and support national and municipal level education systems to ensure access to quality preschool education.

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For further information, please contact:
KOICA: Marcos da Costa Dias,Program Coordinator, KOICA,Phone: +670 78123082
Email Address - [email protected]

UNICEF:
• Umasree Polepeddi, Chief of Education, Mobile number - +670 77231102; Email Address – [email protected] 
• Antonio Gomes, UNICEF Communications Officer, Mobile number - +670 77232441; Email address - [email protected] 

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Tetun

KOICA no UNICEF asina akordu subvensaun hodi apoiu Edukasaun Infánsia iha Timor-Leste

DILI, 27 August 2025 – KOICA no Fundu Nasoins Unidas ba Labarik (UNICEF) asina Apoiu Subvensaun ho totál millaun USD 6, ne’ebé sei apoia Programa Edukasaun Infánsia iha Timor-Leste husi tinan 2024 to’o 2027. Parseria ne’e, inklui ko-finansiamentu USD 400,000 husi UNICEF-Leste, sei ajuda labarik Timor-Leste ho idade potensiál to’o tinan lima to’o asesu tomak ba sira-nia tinan tolu programa dezenvolvimentu infánsia ho kualidade aas iha munisípiu Bobonaro no Baucau.

Serimónia asinatura ne’ebé hala’o iha eskritóriu KOICA Timor-Leste ne’e hetan partisipasaun husi reprezentante husi organizasaun rua ne’e, no reprezentante husi Ministériu Edukasaun no Ministériu Finansas. Subvensaun ne’e marka inísiu parseria tinan barak nian ne’ebé sei foka ba hasa’e edukasaun infánsia liuhosi kapasitasaun, dezenvolvimentu infraestrutura, apoiu kurríkulu, no envolvimentu komunidade.

Asesu ba servisu edukasaun nian hadi’ak ona signifikativamente dezde nasaun nia Restarasaun Independénsia iha 2002 ho matríkula líkidu besik universál (91.7%) iha nivel primáriu (M 88.53; F 95.10). Maibé, nasaun ne'e sei iha dalan naruk atu la'o ba fornesimentu edukasaun pré-eskolár ho matríkula líkidu ne'ebé ki'ik. (NER sigla Ingles) ba pre-primária mak 23.5% de’it (M:22.85 F;24.35%) ne’ebé indika katak kuaze labarik na’in ida hosi na’in lima la iha asesu ba edukasaun infánsia no fundasaun ba prontidaun eskola nian. Jeralmente, presiza esforsu substansiál atu kumpre alvu ODS 4.2 kona-ba asesu ba labarik hotu-hotu ba tinan ida edukasaun pré-primária ho kualidade to’o 2030.

Dezafiu prinsipál sira inklui falta pre-eskolár sira partikularmente iha área rurál sira (no konxiénsia ki'ik hosi inan-aman sira kona-ba importánsia) no nesesidade ba forsa traballu ne'ebé treinadu atu apoia labarik sira iha tinan dahuluk sira aprendizajen no dezenvolvimentu nian no prepara sira ba tranzisaun ba eskola primária sira.

Subvensaun parseria ne’e aliña ho prioridade Ministériu Edukasaun nian atu habelar kualidade Edukasaun Infánsia. Projetu ne’e rasik dezenvolve iha koordenasaun besik ho Ministériu Edukasaun, KOICA no UNICEF.

Sra. Youn Hwa Kang, Diretora País KOICA Timor-Leste, destaka katak arranju parseria ida-ne’e reflete kompromisu kompartilladu ba Timor-Leste nia labarik sira-nia futuru, reafirma KOICA nia apoiu ba UNICEF no estabelese fundasaun forte ba edukasaun infánsia. Nia hatutan tan katak, iha koordenasaun ho Ministériu Edukasaun sei identifika aldeia prioridade sira iha Baucau no Bobonaro hodi garante labarik hotu-hotu iha oportunidade atu buras.

Evidénsia hatudu katak Edukasaun Infánsia ho kualidade aas signifikativamente hasa'e labarik sira-nia abilidade kognitiva, inklui alfabetizasaun, numerasaun, razaun, no rezolusaun problema. Abilidade sira-ne'e importante tebes ba prontidaun eskolár no susesu akadémiku iha futuru.

Reprezentante UNICEF nian Sra. Patrizia DiGiovanni bainhira ko’alia iha okaziaun ne’e hateten, “ami sente onrada atu kolabora ho KOICA no Ministériu Edukasaun iha inisiativa ida ne’e iha ne’ebé ami sei iha oportunidade atu lori edukasaun infánsia ba ami nia sidadaun sira ne’ebé joven liu”. Nia mós apresia papél Ministériu Finansa nian tanba ida-ne'e refleta kompromisu kle'an atu asegura labarik sira aprende no buras.

Projetu ne’e sei implementa iha munisípiu Baucau no Bobonaro, ho foku atu kobre komunidade sira ne’ebé ladún hetan atendimentu no promove ekuidade iha edukasaun. Projetu ne'e atu suporta edukasaun infánsia nian ba labarik liu 3000 ho idade tinan 3-5 iha munisípiu sira-ne'e. Komponente prinsipál sira husi projetu ne’e inklui konstrusaun ba eskola pré-eskolár públika no komunitária hodi hadi’a asesu ba edukasaun pré-eskolár; hametin kapasidade forsa traballu pré-eskolár hodi fornese edukasaun infánsia ho kualidade, inkluzivu no apoia sistema edukasaun nivel nasionál no munisípiu hodi garante asesu ba edukasaun pré-eskolár ho kualidade.

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Ba informasaun detallu bele kontaktu
KOICA: Marcos da Costa Dias,Program Coordinator, KOICA,Phone: +670 78123082
Email Address - [email protected]

UNICEF:
• Umasree Polepeddi, Chief of Education, Mobile number - +670 77231102; Email Address – [email protected] 
• Antonio Gomes, UNICEF Communications Officer, Mobile number - +670 77232441; Email address - [email protected]