Vocational Education and Training in Timor-Leste

This chapter explains the progress, key education and training policies, programs, structures, and associated sociopolitical objectives of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Timor-Leste. It gives a general overview of TVET’s inception and formation officially in place across institutions. TVET in the country has been designed to formalize vocational training and education, regulate the nonformal TVET system, and provide its citizens with different career paths. This chapter discusses how citizens can access TVET, how it is managed and financed, and how industries and employers recognize the qualifications of TVET graduates. This chapter also details methodologies adopted for student assessment, curriculum development, and ensuring quality across the various TVET courses and qualification levels. In addition, issues of inclusion and equality, digital innovations, and the interface between private and public sectors in TVET, among others, are also investigated. We conclude by taking note of the progress made over the decades and the challenges facing the TVET sector in the country.