Dili, March 1, 2025 (Média Democracia) – Centro Nacional Chega, Instituto Publico (CNC, IP) in partnership with GIZ-SUAP (Southeast Asian University Partnership for Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation) together with the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Culture (MESSC) launched the book “Chega Manual Module for Peace and Conflict, History and Memory, Human Rights and Transitional Justice Lectures”. In addition, in this scope, it was also continued with a press conference with the theme, “The Importance of History in the Formation of Identity and Character”
The launching and conference activities were held with the general objective of “Historical Memory Preserving and Promoting Public Institutions and Communities with Human Rights Value Insights” and with the specific theme that there are educational facilities and infrastructure in public institutions and communities to study history and express human rights values.w
The Minister of Higher Education, Science and Culture, José Honório Guterres said that the Ministry in collaboration with CNC organized the launch of this module to be submitted to Higher Education both at Universities and Institutes.
“So with this module, we can introduce the history of Timor-Leste to students at the university level. This is very important for our country, as Timorese we all must know our history to speak the right history, most people speak but not right.”Said the Minister
Because Centro Chega had a good initiative to collaborate with MESSC to create this module, which received support from the German Government, while this module is very good to be distributed to rectors in universities and institutions so that they can introduce the history of Timor-Leste.
He said, not a single Timorese person knows their history, they live like in an empty box that is very empty when someone touches it, because they do not know their history.
“Today we start the launch and we have distributed it to the rectors, we also include it in the national curriculum of higher education this year, we start introducing history to our young generation in universities, we cannot create something empty, but we must introduce it because we know that many of our young generation do not know the history of Timor-Leste.” He said.
He explained that the history of Timor-Leste began in 1902, a very long time from colonization to Indonesian colonization to independence, because there was a historical contest between the old and new generations, therefore the Ministry considered it very important to collaborate with CNC in order to introduce this history with the module that had been launched.
On this occasion, CNC Executive Director, Hugo Maria Fernandes said that CNC asked the government to take a policy to include a curriculum on history, human rights, and transitional justice in higher education.
“Today in the Minister’s response, he conveyed the concern that the Ministry has committed to making a policy and introducing it as a national curriculum, going forward we will continue to work with MESSC, but while waiting for this policy to be in place, we have also now provided training to lecturers from universities in Dili.” Said the Executive Director
In addition, the compromise with the universities has been ready to introduce the courses in their universities, therefore in this launch, the rectors who have been working with CNC were invited.
He emphasized that currently CNC needs to communicate with the Ministry regarding the statement of His Excellency the Ministry to determine the national curriculum.
“We all know that this module is very good, but if it is only used for teaching, it is useless, therefore what we are concerned about now is how to hold discussions and communicate with the Ministry of Higher Education so that policies can be taken immediately so that nationally at all levels of higher education can teach this course,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Timor-Leste History book in elementary schools has been integrated into the Ministry of Education and Infordepe in the second and third cycles, which this year received a mandate from the Ministry of Education to conduct a review in the third cycle, especially in grades 7, 8 and 9.
This year, more than 500 teachers received training from CNC on how to teach the new module. In addition, CNC has been in good cooperation with the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Culture since 2018 with educational activities, including training to lectures on Chega.Ip and transitional justice, workshops and seminars in 2024.
Reported by : Estefania
Picture by : Estefania