Timor Leste's language-in-education policy focuses on Tetum and Portuguese. Tetum, alongside Portuguese, serves as an official language of Timor Leste and is used in education. While Portuguese is introduced gradually throughout elementary school, Tetum is initially the primary language of instruction. The Ministry of Education has developed Tetum teaching materials for primary levels. There are efforts to strengthen the use of Portuguese in schools alongside Tetum. Despite the official policy, many Timorese people speak multiple languages, including Indonesian and English, in addition to Tetum and Portuguese. |