Dili, June 20, 2025 (Média Democracia) – Elementary, Junior High School and Senior High School students from Rainha da Paz Bebonuk, together with their parents, have approached the Rainha da Paz School Foundation and the Ministry of Education (ME), seeking to reactivate the learning process after not receiving any lessons from the school for almost three months.
Rainha da Paz student Felezinho Maria Teles expressed deep sadness as they have not attended school and have requested the Ministry of Education to resume classes, especially with the second trimester exams approaching.
“I am requesting a favor from Dili Municipal Education and the Ministry of Education to resume classes so that we can follow the curriculum like before because the teachers have abandoned us since the first period, and we haven’t had any learning process in the classroom until now,” said Rainha da Paz student Felezinho Maria Teles to journalists.
He further expressed his disappointment as, after the first period exams, problems arose, and there has been no learning process for almost three months now. The teachers have abandoned them, and the school has remained completely closed.
Another final-year student, Peregrinha Lobato Ximenes, stated that when the problem first appeared, they asked the school to take responsibility.
“We students directly approached the teachers, but the teachers told us they could no longer help because the foundation had already dismissed them. We then approached the foundation, but they also told us to go somewhere else,” explained final-year student Peregrinha Lobato Ximenes.
She added that they went to the Education office to seek a solution, but were repeatedly sent back, waiting for hours with no one available to assist them.
“We returned to the school to meet with Mr. Hermenegildo, hoping they would collaborate and quickly find a solution so we could continue our studies. However, we were told to wait, and after two weeks, still no results, only more problems,” said Peregrinha Lobato Ximenes.
She further explained that the Rainha da Paz Foundation had dismissed all teachers and announced plans to establish a new foundation.
“We have no interest in a new foundation; we just want to study because we need to prepare for the national exams. How can we learn like this? Especially since our parents are paying for our education,” Peregrinha Lobato Ximenes emphasized.
She added that parents have been paying around $300 per year for maintenance, yet no improvements or renovations have been made to the buildings. They also paid teacher salaries, but now there are no teachers, and they don’t know where the money has gone.
“Every year we pay $300, plus monthly fees: $5 for Basic Education, $6 for Pre-Secondary, and $8 for Secondary. In the end, the teachers abandoned us, and there has been no learning process,” she added.
The students emphasized that if learning does not resume, they demand the foundation return the money parents have paid, as they are not rich but mostly children of farmers who work hard to pay for school.
Parent representative José Manuel Ximenes explained that for almost three months, the students have not been able to continue their studies due to disputes between the landowner and the school founder.
“The problem has even required intervention from the Ministry of Interior, through the Conflict Prevention Directorate and local authorities, to try to mediate. However, both parties have failed to reach an agreement and have not met face-to-face until now,” said parent representative José Manuel Ximenes.
He stressed that the parents continue to urge the Ministry of Education to immediately find a viable alternative to resume the learning process at the school, which has been operating for nearly 23 years.
“This is why we have now approached PSIC to seek mediation with both the founder and the landowner to request that they resolve their private dispute, because nearly 700 students are becoming victims of their personal interests,” added parent representative José Manuel Ximenes.
He further emphasized that parents wish for the school to continue operating, as it has received recognition and an operational license from the Ministry of Education.
Report: Domingas
Photo: Domingas