Bega District News

David Gallan reports on his visit to Timor Leste

Friday, 2 September 2005

MR DAVID Gallan, who recently returned from a visit to Natarbora in Timor-Leste reported on his tour of the schools there to a meeting of the Bega Valley Advocates for Timor-Leste.

The purpose of his trip was to supply teaching resources and training to schools in Natarbora; to assess school needs and listen to staff concerns; to investigate forests around Natarbora; to record progress by the Rotary team and assist where possible and to obtain video/photographic material for brochures and newsletters.

A major part of his itinerary included visits to several schools both primary and secondary.

All schools (except Barique - no current road access) were visited at least twice and some were visited up to four times.

Mr Gallan said staff and students were appreciative of the visits and several good relationships developed.

The seven primary schools each received several sets of Tetum readers (classes 1-4), flash cards, sound and number charts and Tetum picture dictionaries (colour and black and white), published by the McKillop Insitute, plus a carton of chalk, blackboard paint, exercise books, pencils, pens, sharpeners, rulers, erasers, water colour paints, brushes, cardboard, markers, scissors, rubber bands, paper, glue, drawing pins, blue tack, netball and net.

Rotary education kits containing exercise books, paper, pegs, towels and assorted stationery were distributed and five footballs were distributed.

The high school received the primary kit minus the readers and picture dictionary plus English grammar and mathematics texts (in Indonesian) and class four readers, Portugese/English and advanced Tetum/English dictionaries

The college received a similar package to the high school.

The Kindergarten received a full set of McKillop Institute Kindergarten books, colour picture dictionary, plus stationery, paint sets, skipping ropes, lightweight textured balls, and a lightweight soccer ball.

When working with primary staff several issues were addressed including the use of literacy strategies such as guided reading and oral/written activities with big books and the use of flash cards to teach/test sight vocabulary.

Other issues were the need to provide a learning environment rich with language and the benefits of encouraging students to write or tell their own stories and using their story books, charts, dictionaries and classroom labels as a reference for future writing.

Mr Gallan reported that apart from outstanding anatomical models in each school, classrooms are fairly bare of displays and resources.

Mr Gallan also observed an Agricultural College Graduation ceremony.

He attended a Rotary dinner and gave a report on Bega Valley Advocates for Timor -Leste's education program.

During the visit he also assisted the Rotary team at Natarbora Agricultural College with the construction work and saw forests south of Manehat and south of the agricultural college.

Mr Gallan said the forests appear largely intact with little evidence of roading (only a couple of tracks) and logging.

"Much bamboo, acacia and eucalypt was seen but little timber of a millable size in any great quantity.

"However, this was not a detailed survey.

"The locals gather firewood but their katanas (machetes) are only capable of felling saplings.

"Certainly no chainsaws were heard."

Mr Gallan said that there had been a concern that unscrupulous logging companies could set up in the future, as they have done in many Pacific countries.

"It was heartening to meet Snr Fernando Barros, the Manatuto District Forestry Officer, at the College Graduation.

"He explained that he was there because there was request from the sisters in Natarbora about obtaining some building timber.

"Under the 2002 Forestry Regulation Act he has to attend to see that the request is in order.

"Since 2001 people must apply to cut timber.

"It is good to see that the process appears to be working and that the timber is conserved for the use of locals," said Mr Gallan.

Mr Gallan recommended that junior high school should be equipped with 80 metres of guttering, a 3000-5000 gallon water tank, four toilets, pipes, fixtures and a dividing wall between male and female sections.

He said that a proposal from Bega Valley individuals for second hand/refurbished bikes to be supplied was welcomed by junior high staff.

Isolated students get tired walking to school and attendance is sometimes affected.

Forty students live more than six kilometres from the school.

The terrain is flat.

Students return home at 2.00pm in the heat.

Some students have access to bikes and some double siblings to school.

Knowledge of bike repairs is widespread but access to spares is limited.

After discussions with Director Silvano, it was proposed to supply 40 bikes to the most isolated students as greater care would be taken of them.

As families are large, it is hoped that bikes would be passed on to younger siblings.

A number of repair kits should be supplied.

Mr Gallan said that with a media campaign in the Bega Valley plus tip recycling and bike club donations, it's anticipated the Advocates would get fairly close to the target.

He also hoped that private individuals, institutions, sponsors and/or the Advocates should fund at least four new scholarships each year.

The scholarships would last for the three years of the senior secondary schooling (dependent on passes achieved year).

He reported that Umo Boco school is proposing a breakfast program to overcome student fatigue during the lean months of the year and that a trial during the next school year be conducted.

Staff has asked for beans, rice and milk to serve twice a week.

Similar breakfast programs operate in disadvantaged Australian schools.

Manehat and Abat Oan schools requested some readers in Portugese.

Rotary people suggested writing to the Portugese Embassy for assistance.

He suggested that the Advocates should try to see that all classrooms be supplied with display boards to present student writing, drawings and paintings.

Also to supply some soccer and volleyball uniforms to the Junior High after raising funds and sponsorship so they can compete against other districts.

The next report from Natarbora to the Advocates will be from Allan Elton who was one of the Rotary team who went to help rebuild and restore the Natarabroa Agricultural College.

Mr Elton and his team have now returned and a second Rotary team is now working at the college.

The purpose of his trip was to supply teaching resources and training to schools in Natarbora; to assess school needs and listen to staff concerns; to investigate forests around Natarbora; to record progress by the Rotary team and assist where possible and to obtain video/photographic material for brochures and newsletters.

A major part of his itinerary included visits to several schools both primary and secondary.

All schools (except Barique - no current road access) were visited at least twice and some were visited up to four times.

Mr Gallan said staff and students were appreciative of the visits and several good relationships developed.

The seven primary schools each received several sets of Tetum readers (classes 1-4), flash cards, sound and number charts and Tetum picture dictionaries (colour and black and white), published by the McKillop Insitute, plus a carton of chalk, blackboard paint, exercise books, pencils, pens, sharpeners, rulers, erasers, water colour paints, brushes, cardboard, markers, scissors, rubber bands, paper, glue, drawing pins, blue tack, netball and net.

Rotary education kits containing exercise books, paper, pegs, towels and assorted stationery were distributed and five footballs were distributed.

The high school received the primary kit minus the readers and picture dictionary plus English grammar and mathematics texts (in Indonesian) and class four readers, Portugese/English and advanced Tetum/English dictionaries

The college received a similar package to the high school.

The Kindergarten received a full set of McKillop Institute Kindergarten books, colour picture dictionary, plus stationery, paint sets, skipping ropes, lightweight textured balls, and a lightweight soccer ball.

When working with primary staff several issues were addressed including the use of literacy strategies such as guided reading and oral/written activities with big books and the use of flash cards to teach/test sight vocabulary.

Other issues were the need to provide a learning environment rich with language and the benefits of encouraging students to write or tell their own stories and using their story books, charts, dictionaries and classroom labels as a reference for future writing.

Mr Gallan reported that apart from outstanding anatomical models in each school, classrooms are fairly bare of displays and resources.

Mr Gallan also observed an Agricultural College Graduation ceremony.

He attended a Rotary dinner and gave a report on Bega Valley Advocates for Timor -Leste's education program.

During the visit he also assisted the Rotary team at Natarbora Agricultural College with the construction work and saw forests south of Manehat and south of the agricultural college.

Mr Gallan said the forests appear largely intact with little evidence of roading (only a couple of tracks) and logging.

"Much bamboo, acacia and eucalypt was seen but little timber of a millable size in any great quantity.

"However, this was not a detailed survey.

"The locals gather firewood but their katanas (machetes) are only capable of felling saplings.

"Certainly no chainsaws were heard."

Mr Gallan said that there had been a concern that unscrupulous logging companies could set up in the future, as they have done in many Pacific countries.

"It was heartening to meet Snr Fernando Barros, the Manatuto District Forestry Officer, at the College Graduation.

"He explained that he was there because there was request from the sisters in Natarbora about obtaining some building timber.

"Under the 2002 Forestry Regulation Act he has to attend to see that the request is in order.

"Since 2001 people must apply to cut timber.

"It is good to see that the process appears to be working and that the timber is conserved for the use of locals," said Mr Gallan.

Mr Gallan recommended that junior high school should be equipped with 80 metres of guttering, a 3000-5000 gallon water tank, four toilets, pipes, fixtures and a dividing wall between male and female sections.

He said that a proposal from Bega Valley individuals for second hand/refurbished bikes to be supplied was welcomed by junior high staff.

Isolated students get tired walking to school and attendance is sometimes affected.

Forty students live more than six kilometres from the school.

The terrain is flat.

Students return home at 2.00pm in the heat.

Some students have access to bikes and some double siblings to school.

Knowledge of bike repairs is widespread but access to spares is limited.

After discussions with Director Silvano, it was proposed to supply 40 bikes to the most isolated students as greater care would be taken of them.

As families are large, it is hoped that bikes would be passed on to younger siblings.

A number of repair kits should be supplied.

Mr Gallan said that with a media campaign in the Bega Valley plus tip recycling and bike club donations, it's anticipated the Advocates would get fairly close to the target.

He also hoped that private individuals, institutions, sponsors and/or the Advocates should fund at least four new scholarships each year.

The scholarships would last for the three years of the senior secondary schooling (dependent on passes achieved year).

He reported that Umo Boco school is proposing a breakfast program to overcome student fatigue during the lean months of the year and that a trial during the next school year be conducted.

Staff has asked for beans, rice and milk to serve twice a week.

Similar breakfast programs operate in disadvantaged Australian schools.

Manehat and Abat Oan schools requested some readers in Portugese.

Rotary people suggested writing to the Portugese Embassy for assistance.

He suggested that the Advocates should try to see that all classrooms be supplied with display boards to present student writing, drawings and paintings.

Also to supply some soccer and volleyball uniforms to the Junior High after raising funds and sponsorship so they can compete against other districts.

The next report from Natarbora to the Advocates will be from Allan Elton who was one of the Rotary team who went to help rebuild and restore the Natarabroa Agricultural College.

Mr Elton and his team have now returned and a second Rotary team is now working at the college.

[This message was distributed via the east-timor news list. Write info@etan.org.]