Timor Leste CEDAW Specific Report on Education and Health Sectors

gap in urban-rural literacy among men is smaller than the gap among women, suggestingthat men in rural areas are better able to access learning opportunities than women. 68Programs to reduce illiteracy71. The short-term goal of the NESP is to achieve the MDG on the elimination of illiteracy inthe adult population over 15 years old by 2015, through National Literacy Campaigns andRecurrent Education in addition to the formal education system. Recurrent Education isdesigned for individuals who have gone beyond the age indicated to attend Basiceducation, as well those aged 16 18 who have completed Basic Education and arecurrently working. It is also applicable to those who did not have the opportunity toattend school when they were at the normal age to do so. 6972. Recurrent Education is not only about providing basic literacy. It also aims to bridge thegap in adult education by providing access to basic and secondary education for adults,and offering diplomas and certificates. The National Equivalence Program providesaccelerated learning courses to achieve these goals. A curricular development andimplementation program is already being phased in. The coverage of the NationalEquivalence Programme will be enhanced through the creation of Education CommunityCentres in all sub-districts, an aim that will be integrated with the development of theNew School but also other relevant skills that will help people in their everyday life and support otherimportant government targets for promoting employment and health. 7073. The planning target of eliminating illiteracy by 2015 can be fully achieved by increasingthe present capacity of the system by 80%. Therefore, the plan of achieving the MDGtarget of eliminating Yes Ican program (opening an additional 442 classrooms in every suco) Step to theFrontin 263 classrooms) literacy program across the country, mainly in rural areas. 7174. The Government, with the help of the development partners, has been successfullydeveloping and expanding the reach of the Recurrent Education Program. In 2011 isintended to reach full working capacity in all 442 sucos and to deliver the initial literacyprograms to approximately 50,000 youth and adults. In order to do this, use of a numberof methodologies as distance education methodologies (television as a teaching aid fordistance education, through the introduction of broadcasting literacy lessons andeducational programmes through Television <strong>Timor</strong>-<strong>Leste</strong> (TVTL) to enable those whoare illiterate to follow them regardless of time or place), community engagement andsupport, Education Community Centres in all sub-districts and production of a qualitycurriculum for the National Equivalence Program will be implemented.68 --3669 -70 Ibid., Pg. 120-12171 Ibid., Pg. 12018 | <strong>CEDAW</strong> <strong>Specific</strong> <strong>Report</strong> on Education and Health Sectors <strong>Timor</strong>-<strong>Leste</strong>