On November 10th, 2026, Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, accompanied by the Minister of Education, Dulce de Jesus Soares, inaugurated nine new classrooms at the 12 de Outubro Branch Basic School (EBF 12 de Outubro) in Tasitolu, Dili. The ceremony took place three days after the inauguration of the Iatua Branch Basic Schools 1 and 2 in the municipality of Baucau, which was presided over by the Minister of Education on November 7th. Both projects, implemented with support from development partners, aim to improve teaching and learning conditions and expand school infrastructure capacity.
At EBF 12 de Outubro, which serves 2,056 students, the construction of nine classrooms will allow the school to reduce its daily operations from three shifts to two, starting in the 2027 academic year. Previously, the school had 12 classrooms, including three temporary structures, and classes were approximately 50 students due to insufficient facilities.
The project resulted from collaboration between the Ministry of Education and development partners, namely Dreams Asia, the Octava Foundation, and Classroom of Hope, with support from partners in Australia and Singapore.
During the ceremony, the Prime Minister urged students and parents to value the new facilities and the learning opportunities they offer. He also addressed teachers, emphasising their responsibility for educating and shaping future generations.
The new facilities were built using a modular system incorporating blocks made from recycled plastic and include sanitation facilities. Construction took place between August and October 2026 and represents a pilot project for the application of this technology in Timor-Leste. According to Classroom of Hope, approximately 13 tonnes of recycled plastic were used to construct six classrooms using a method that reduces construction times and repurposes plastic waste as building materials.
On the occasion, the Minister of Education highlighted the use of alternative solutions to address school infrastructure needs and shorten construction timelines.
“Building schools using traditional methods often takes a long time. However, with this new construction method, classrooms can be completed in less than two months. This project uses recycled plastic materials to produce building blocks, also providing students with a practical example of the importance of environmental sustainability,” explained Dulce de Jesus Soares.
The Minister thanked all organisations involved, including the National Directorate of School Infrastructure, and urged the educational community to preserve the new facilities. She also noted that this experience would enable the Ministry of Education to assess the application of this construction model in future interventions.
Also attending the inauguration of the Iatua EBF 1 and 2 in Baucau, held on November 7th, were the President of the Baucau Municipal Authority, Veneranda E. M. Lemos; the Goodwill Ambassador for Education, Kirsty Sword-Gusmão; and the representative of the organisation Spend It Well, Nandy Gurr.
The new school was built with support from Spend It Well and its partners, making it the 31st school the organisation has constructed in Timor-Leste. According to the Minister of Education, the project was funded by contributions from various donors and community-led fundraising initiatives.
During the ceremony, Dulce de Jesus Soares expressed her gratitude for the organisation’s support and emphasised the school community’s responsibility for using and maintaining the new facilities.
“Today, you have a beautiful new school building, but the remaining elements needed to provide quality education are in your hands. I trust that you will manage this school appropriately and efficiently, ensuring compliance with class schedules, maintaining teaching quality, and properly managing the budget, data, documentation, and the school itself,” stated the Minister.
Nandy Gurr, the representative of Spend It Well, thanked the donors who contributed to the school’s construction and urged teachers and students to use and preserve the new facilities responsibly.
Both inaugurations are part of the Ministry of Education’s efforts to address school infrastructure construction and rehabilitation needs through collaboration with development partners and local community participation.