On July 27th, 2020, the initiative “Resume Learning Process Safely” was launched at the Esperança da Pátria basic school, in Dili. The initiative, led by the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport (MEJD) and the UNICEF, aims to help schools to establish protocols in order to guarantee a safe reopening.
The “Resume Learning Process Safely” initiative, which includes an awareness campaign for the prevention of COVID-19 and the distribution of protective and hygiene equipment, relies on funding from the Government of Japan and the Asian Development Bank, and with the contribution of other entities.
On July 29th, MEJD and UNICEF organized a conference on this topic, with the participation of school leaders and inspectors, from all municipalities, and also from the Oé-Cusse Ambeno Special Administrative Region, to discuss the conditions of schools reopening and resume learning process safely.
The Vice-Minister of Education, Youth, and Sports, António Guterres, in his speech, at the opening of the conference, thanked the support of UNICEF to the Ministry and acknowledged this organization commitment and contribution in fighting the COVID-19 invisible enemy and for the face-to-face learning process resume, according with criteria already defined.
According to the latest information, more than 1500 schools have already resumed the face-to-face educational process, which means a percentage of 95% in pre-school and basic education, and 96% in general and technical-vocational secondary education.