Member National Parliament Virgilio Hornai has raised concerns about the future of schools established through community initiative, without input from the Ministry of Education.
According to district monitoring by Commission F (education, health, culture, veteran and gender equality affairs) secondary schools Salele, in Cocalima, and Tilomar, were constructed by communities, without mandate from government.
“What you will do to legalize their statute because these schools were built due to the Salele and Tilomar communities’ initiative?” Commission F president Virgilio Hornai asked at National Parliament.
MP Critovão Barros said schools’ condition around the country was poor, but there was no money to improve facilities.
“I give the example of the pre-secondary and secondary students in Jumalai, Covalima district who attend the same school, as do the students of Secondary School Salele, while money isn’t allocated to it,” MP Barros said.
He suggested that Ministry of Education allocate funds to fix the schools.
Minister of Education Bendito Freitas said this was an issue not only in Salele and Tilomar but also took place in Maubara in Liquica district.
“I think our brothers have very good intentions in opening the schools, but they don’t discuss it first with the ME to look into the criteria and conditions,” ME Freitas said.
He said the schools had been established by experienced people.
