On January 16th, 2026, the Government inaugurated the Ducurai Central Elementary School (EBC – acronym in Portuguese) 1, 2, and 3 in the Letefoho Administrative Post, Ermera municipality, and, on the same day, launched a preschool education project in the municipality of Baucau, as part of efforts to strengthen access to basic and preschool education. 
The Secretary of State for General Secondary Education and Vocational Secondary Education, Domingos Lopes Lemos, together with the Vice Minister of State Administration, Jacinto Rigoberto, and the President of the Municipal Authority of Ermera, José Martinho dos Santos Soares, presided over the ceremony in Ermera.
On this occasion, they emphasised the importance of schools as places of learning that serve the children of the community and the country, calling on families, teachers, students, and the local community to work together to preserve school infrastructure.
Ducurai’s EBC 1, 2, and 3 are part of the Ermera Municipality’s Integrated Municipal Development Program for 2025. The construction was carried out by local companies, with a total investment of over US$196,000, benefiting around 400 students. Local authorities, security forces, teachers, students, and parents attended the ceremony.
Also on January 16th, the Minister of Education, Dulce de Jesus Soares, participated in the launch of a preschool education project in the village of Bucoli, Baucau-Vila Administrative Post, municipality of Baucau, alongside the President of the Baucau Municipal Authority, Veneranda Lemos, and development partners.
The five-year project aims to implement preschool education programmes in 29 villages, covering 15 centres in the municipality of Baucau and 14 in the municipality of Bobonaro, to expand access to preschool education for children aged 3 to 5. The initiative is supported by KOICA and implemented by UNICEF, in coordination with the Ministry of Education and local authorities.
As part of this intervention, the transfer of land to the Ministry of Education for the construction of preschool education infrastructure was also formalised.