Member of the National Parliament (MP) Aurelio Freitas Ribeiro has expressed concern about the quality of branches of private universities set up in the districts. 
“There are no lecturers, no tables, and no chairs but still they are accredited,” MP Ribeiro said in National Parliament.
MP Ribeiro said to produce students of a high quality, universities must provide the basic necessities such as chairs and enough lecturers.
The Fretilin MP said universities should be producing effective members of society who can serve the population.
“But the reality shows that some of these affiliated universities in the districts are in poor condition, so the students cannot learn well,” MP Ribeiro said.
MP Angelica da Costa said he was concerned because the private schools are of better quality than the public schools.
She said since Timor-Leste’s first government, all teachers attended teacher training but private schools were still consistently of a higher quality.
“In regard to the public schools, I just suggest that Mr. Minister control them well,” MP da Costa said.
Minister for Education Bendito Freitas said data was being collected about the performance of the district campuses.
“We have had discussions at the ministry level and accumulated data from the schools,” Minister Freitas said.
He said the ME was taking measures to improve educational standards to ensure Timor-Leste had the human capital needed to safeguard the nation’s future.
The Minister said the universities that have opened affiliated campuses in the districts are UNPAZ, which has campuses in Liquisa, Maliana, Same, Ermera and Oe-Cuesse districts, and the Kristal Superior Institute, which has campuses in Maliana, Same, Baucau, Oe-Cusse, Viqueque, Manatuto, Lospalos and Aileu districts.
The Institute of Business (IOB) operates campuses in Maliana, Ermera and Baucau districts while the Dili Institute of Technology (DIT) has facilities in Baucau.
The Dili University (UNDIL) has campuses in Baucau, Viqueque, Manatuto and Lospalos and Oriental National University (UNITAL) has a campus in Baucau.
