Summary
East Timor is at a crossroads and in a unique position. Building a national infrastructure in the 21st century should allow policy makers to learn from the successes and failures of other nations, and to use this knowledge to develop a strong future. An investment in early childhood development is essential if that vision is to become a reality. The paper provides an overview of early childhood development in East Timor, briefly documenting the situation during both the Portuguese colonial period and the period of Indonesian occupation. It focuses on the period since the violent end of that occupation in 1999, discussing contextual challenges and recent initiatives, and speculating on future directions for early childhood services in East Timor.
Résumé
Le Timor-Oriental est en train de prendre un tournant décisif et se trouve dans une situation idéale. L’élaboration d’une structure nationale au 21e siècle devrait permettre aux décideurs de tirer la leçon des réussites et des échecs des autres pays, et de mettre ces connaissances à profit pour bâtir un avenir fort. L’investissement dans le développement de la petite enfance est essentiel pour que cette vision devienne une réalité. L’article donne un aperçu général du développement de la petite enfance au Timor-Oriental, avec un bref exposé de la situation pendant la période coloniale portugaise et la période d’occupation indonésienne. II porte essentiellement sur la période qui a suivi la conclusion violente de cette occupation en 1999, examine les défis contextuels et les initiatives récentes, et s’interroge sur les orientations futures de services pour la petite enfance au Timor-Oriental.
Resumen
Timor del Este se halla en una encrucijada y en una posición única. Al construirse la infraestructura nacional en el siglo 21 los legisladores deberian poder aprender de los éxitos y los fracasos de otras naciones, y utilizar dicho conocimiento a fin de desarrollar un futuro pujante. La inversión en el desarrollo de la niñez temprana es esencial si se desea que esa visión se convierta en realidad. La presente ponencia brinda un panorama del desarrollo de la niñez temprana en Timor del Este, documentando brevemente la situación durante el período colonial portugués y el de la ocupación indonesa y centrándose en el periodo que se inició con el violento fin de dicha ocupación en 1999. En la misma se tratan los desafíos contextuales e iniciativas recientes, y se discurre sobre las tendencias futuras de los servicios para la niñez temprana en Timor del Este.
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Palmer, G., Pires, A. Looking forward in East Timor: Early childhood finds a voice. IJEC 37, 29–35 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03165743
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03165743