Catholic Teachers’ College, Timor-Leste

With a 59% literacy rate in a country of 1.1 million people, Timor-Leste is working hard to redevelop and improve its education system. Under the often violent occupation, at the peak of the independence conflict, nearly 80% of its teachers left, and over 90% of its education infrastructure was destroyed.

In 2000, East Timor lacked a secondary education system as most of the country’s 140 secondary schools lay in ruins. Higher education in East Timor had effectively stopped, say UNICEF. But much has begun to change, and its education infrastructure and curriculum is beginning to take shape.

The Catholic Teachers’ College, Baucau was established in 2000 to train teachers to serve this 98% Catholic country. It operates as an outreach of the Melbourne province of the Marist Brothers, who have made a 10-year commitment to the College.CTC, with the people of East Timor, is working to develop quality professional teachers in the context of the Catholic faith and the culture of Timor-Leste. It is committed to advancing a quality East Timorese curriculum and a culture of leadership in the country.

The Director of CTC, Baucau has requested a skilled volunteer to work in Professional Development to strengthen skills and build capacity for teaching-staff undertaking their Master’s degree in Education from Australian Catholic University (ACU).

Once more into the fray

December 9, 2011

Volunteering can be both a challenging and immensely rewarding experience. Few returnees would claim to remain unchanged by the experience. Some, such as Des Hansen, from Foster in Victoria, and Monica Morrison from Mollymook, NSW, value the experience so much that they return for another placement.  Each is well aware of the sorts of challenges they will face, though the specifics are different each time, but each can see that they again can be part of meaningful change by plunging in again.
Monica Morrison has previously volunteered with the Catholic Teachers College (CTC) in Baucau in Timor-Leste. While there she worked with trainee teachers and lecturers at the college, sharing her expertise in education and psychology and sharing in the expertise of her East Timorese colleagues in what works, or does not work, in East Timor.  Monica’s presence, guidance and enthusiasm was greatly appreciated by those with whom she worked.

Now Monica is readying herself for departure to work with Edmund Rice Sinon School (ERSS) in Arusha, Tanzania. Like CTC Baucau, Edmund Rice has a long history with Palms Australia and Monica will be the latest in a series of volunteers who have contributed to improved education for the children of Tanzania.  Interestingly, Monica will be joining two more “repeat” Palms volunteers in Arusha, Kathy Brick, also at ERSS and Jenny Ferris, at Food Water Shelter.

Des Hansen, on the other hand, will be returning to Papua New Guinea, the country in which he volunteered in 2008-2010. Anyone who knows PNG will tell you, however, that different locations in PNG can be vastly different in culture, environment and development needs. This time, Des will be travelling to Kiunga in PNG’s Western Province to work at Emmaus Farm, a training centre for young men. Des, an ex-principal, will use his experience in education, leadership and agriculture to improve the capacity of Emmaus to provide its students with the skills required to maintain sustainable agricultural projects for their families and villages.

Des will be joining three other Palms volunteers in Kiunga, John Gartner, Paul Tan and Esther Sim, who are working on improving the programs of the Diocese of Daru-Kiunga, which include Emmaus Farm. Again, this is a long-term partner of Palms Australia, with numerous volunteers over the years responding to challenges in youth work, education and sustainable agriculture. Des will be a welcome addition to an ongoing partnership which is making a real, positive difference in people’s lives.

Des and Monica are not unique in returning to the field – there are over 100 volunteers who have done more than one placement with Palms Australia – but each time someone returns to volunteer again, we are excited to receive them.  Those who have volunteered before often have a headstart because while there may still be culture jolts, we know they have the tools to work through them. Provided they don’t expect each experience to be the same, they can be more effective in their work exchanging skills. Repeat volunteers are more likely to be motivated out of a sense of solidarity and enjoyment of other cultures, which appear to be more indicative than other motivations of effective cross-cultural engagement. Furthermore, the willingness of volunteers to return to Palms serves as an endorsement that, at least, we as an organisation are getting something right. Such feedback from our volunteers complements the positive feedback we receive from our partner agencies and encourages us that we are successful in achieving our three-point mission.

As always, we must remind our readers that our work relies on your support. While, Monica’s placement is largely funded (though not entirely) by AusAID and ERSS, we must cover the entire cost of Des’ placement from our own networks. The Diocese of Daru-Kiunga has agreed to provide accommodation and a modest living allowance to Des, but we still need assistance covering costs such as flights, insurance and support. By covering these small amounts, in 2012 we will provide a full year’s worth of expert labour to ERSS and Emmaus Farm.  You can donate directly to support our work in Tanzania or PNG by selecting Monica or Des from the drop-down list on our donation page.

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Partner’s Perspective: Appreciation from Timor-Leste

December 3, 2010

We are most appreciative of the fact that you have been so wonderful in supporting us with the placement of Monica. She has been a fantastic support within the overall professional development program, especially at a time when we had so many of the staff who were engaged in the completion of their Masters in Education.

Click here to read the full article

Letter from Timor-Leste

December 11, 2009

Monica Morrison, from Mollymook NSW, is volunteering to provide Professional Development support at Catholic Teachers’ College, Baucau, Timor-Leste.

Click here to read the full article

More articles

• Monica Morrison’s CommUNITY News no. 2
• Letters from the Field
• Monica Morrison’s CommUNITY News no. 1

Support this work

This placement has concluded, however Palms Australia needs your support for many ongoing volunteer placements.

Palms’ volunteers provide on-the-ground mentoring for local people, to build local capacity and reduce their dependence on foreign aid. The volunteers travel to meet the requests of the local communities, providing the skills they have identified as necessary to reduce poverty.

This is development as it should be done. Please support our work and help Palms Australia achieve our vision of a just, sustainable, interdependent and peaceful world.

 

Timor-Leste

Population: 1,108,777

Area: 15,007 sq. km.

Median Age: 21.5

Literacy: 58.6 %

Languages: Tetum, Portuguese, Indonesian, about 16 indigenous languages

A brief history of independence. mid 1500s – Timor colonised by Portugal 1859 – Portugal cedes West Timor to the Dutch 1942-1945 – Japan occupies East Timor 28 November 1975 – East Timor declared independent from Portugal 7 December 1975 – invaded and occupied by Indonesia. It is estimated that 100,000 to 250,000 were killed [...]

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