DILI, March 19, 2025____The Executive Director of the TIC Timor I.P. Agency, Mr. Venâncio Pinto, became as a speaker at the National Workshop on 'Digitalization of ESTV and Evaluation of the Performance of ESTV Directives,' organized by the Ministry of Education through the National Directorate of Technical and Vocational Secondary Education (ESTV Portuguese acronym)."

In this workshop, the Executive Director explained that, based on the program of the IX Constitutional Government, TIC TIMOR is responsible for two programs, they are, Information and Communication Technologies and Electronic Government.

Thus, TIC TIMOR's mission is to manage the Government's network infrastructure, centralizing the Government's data, and developing applications, including systems, aimed at supporting digital transformation.

The vision is the modernization of public services, the expansion and enhancement of connectivity, ensuring access to both rural and urban areas.

The Executive Director elaborated that the significance of digitalization for the Government is focused on enhancing operational efficiency, boosting productivity, reducing costs, fostering greater citizen engagement and participation, and enabling data-driven decision-making.

"When discussing on the efficiency, productivity, and cost reduction in a system, citizen involvement is essential. Citizens should be aware of the benefits, and the system should include innovation and ensuring its sustainable."

The Executive Director further emphasized that the Government of Timor-Leste's preparation for digital infrastructure relies on three key pillars: Digital Infrastructure, the Government's Digital Data Center, and the Development of Systems and Software Applications.

"Discussing on Digital Infrastructure, it must encompass the National ICT Framework, and it is crucial to enhance distribution nodes and network connectivity. Additionally, the establishment of Primary Data for Electronic Government is vital, alongside a Business Continuity Center, and comprehensive solutions for the Data Center, including the Public Service Management System and the Government’s Cloud Infrastructure."

The leader of TIC TIMOR also stated that, in 2024, TIC TIMOR managed to save $11 million from the TIC budget for the development of applications. In case the Ministry of Education wishes for all schools to have a website, no additional funding will be required, as TIC TIMOR is ready to develop it at no extra cost.

For the successful implementation of digitalization, a comprehensive legal framework is essential, addressing three key areas that Timor-Leste currently lacks, including the Data Protection and Privacy Law, the Cybersecurity Law, ICT Regulations, and Digital Governance Policy, alongside the promotion of Digital Literacy through targeted capacity-building initiatives.

The Executive Director further highlighted that the challenge of digital transformation lies in the difficulty of local connectivity to the Government's backbone, the high costs of internet connectivity services, security threats, and privacy issues, as well as the lack of skills and limitations in budget and resources.

"When we talk about the Government, Education is an important part, as TIC TIMOR is responsible for ensuring the digitalization of the State. Digital transformation also brings the challenge of changing people's mindset, from traditional methods to digital ones. If we want to implement digital transformation, we must focus on changing people's mindset."

Furthermore, the Executive Director also informed that the public service plan for the future, in 2026, establishes the Data Center with the following technologies: Government Hybrid Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Big Data, and Blockchain Technology.

On the same occasion, the Secretary of State for General Secondary Education and Technical-Vocational Secondary Education, Mr. Domingos Lopes Lemos, expressed his gratitude to TIC TIMOR, recognizing it as a strategic partner in development, for providing content related to digitalization, which will be implemented in schools, driving the progress of digital transformation and ensuring the success of the IX Government's program. “Education is the cornerstone of a nation's sustainable development, which is why the aim of conducting this workshop is to equip students with the skills needed to thrive in the digital era”.

The official also emphasized that, through this workshop, essential data will be discussed for the evaluation of the guidelines of the National Directorate of Technical and Vocational Secondary Education.

The event took place in the Ian Marin Infordepe Balide hall and had full participation from the General Directors of Technical and Vocational Secondary Schools, as well as the Municipal Directors of Education.