Students at the Farol primary school must attend classes in rooms without basic equipment such as desks and chairs, conditions which have a detrimental effect on their learning.
School principal Elias dos Reis said the issue was not dire but more furniture was needed.
“We only have one room where we don’t have enough desks and chairs and some students have to sit on the floor,” he said.
He said he had raised the issue with the Ministry of Education and had requested 30 more desks and chairs.
Teacher Gracinda de Jesus said the children learned, regardless of the less than ideal conditions.
“The number of students is rising every year,” she said.
“The total number of students is 2109; we put 60 or 70 students in a class.”
She called on the Ministry of Education to cap classes at 25 to 30 students to ensure effective learning.
“When we are teaching, the students don’t focus on the lesson being taught,” she said.
Cooperative Work general director Antonio Pirez said a lack of adequate facilities was a problem not just in Farol but all across Timor-Leste.
He said a plan to improve schools throughout Timor-Leste had already been drawn up.
Pires said the Ministry of Education agreed class sizes should be capped at between 25 to 30 students.
He said the Farol school was scheduled for rehabilitation next year as part of the nationwide education plan.
