Instituto Catolico para Formacao de Professores (ICFP) - ICFP was established in 2000 with the support of Bishop Nascimento and under the administration of the Marist Brothers congregation, to provide professional development for current untrained teachers in classrooms and to provide an undergraduate course for training new teachers. Professional development courses also began to be offered in physics, languages, teaching methodology, school leadership and management throughout the country by ICFP.
To date 513 undergraduate students have graduated with a Bachelor of Teaching (Primary) and 16 ICFP lecturers have gained a Master’s in Education. These master’s qualifications are accredited by the Australian Catholic University and as such are recognized internationally. While initially the Bachelor of Teaching degrees were conferred by Australian Catholic University, the Ministry of Education has now made it compulsory for Tertiary Institutions to confer their own degrees in preference. ICPF teaching is based on the new Timor-Leste curriculum for Primary schools.
The direct beneficiaries are the 165 undergraduate students currently enrolled at ICFP and the 37 staff members who are trained in child development, pedagogy and child-centered learning along with the different curriculum areas. In a country where ongoing employment is scarce, they are able to provide funds for their families, including the education of their own children. At the time of writing this proposal, the college employed 22 teaching staff and 18 non-teaching staff.