Government of Timor-Leste

The Ministry of Education, in cooperation with the Association “Chega ba Ita (ACBIT)” launched the book named “CHEGA”, in a ceremony that took place on July 22^nd, at the Ministry of Education’s Hall, in Vila Verde.

Bendito dos Santos Freitas, Minister of Education, recognized the importance of this book: “this book is very important for students, not only for them to know our History in fighting for national liberation, but also as being a reference in textbooks, especially on the political events that occurred before 1974 until the Referendum, back in 1999”.

The ACBIT Director, Manuela Leong, said that “this book is based on a recommendation contained in the CRTR[1] report, on what concerns education”. About the subjects in the book, Manuela Leong says that “they work as a guide for the national curriculum, on what concerns teaching history, science, politics, international affairs and laws”.

“CHEGA” consists of 5 volumes in a total of 230 pages written in Portuguese. The first volume talks about the CRTR’s recommendation, the second talks about the history of the conflict, while the third talks about self-determination. The last two volumes, the fourth and fifth, talk particularly about the violation of human rights. About 7.500 copies of this book will be distributed to students throughout the country.

“Timor-Leste needs to prevent the conflict, because the country’s independence was gained with the people’s suffering. The new generations should know this History, so that, in the future, they stay away from violence”, added Manuela Leong.

Present at the launching ceremony of the book, were the Vice Minister of Secondary Education, Virgílio Smith, the Vice Minister of Basic/Primary Education, Dulce de Jesus Soares, several national directors and employees from ACBIT.

[1] CRTR – Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation