Education in Oecusse, Timor-Leste: official figures
In Oecusse, 71.5% of children aged 6 to 14 were attending school at the 2022 census. It ranks as the lowest of 14 municipalities, against 81.9% for Timor-Leste as a whole.
How many young children attend pre-school in Oecusse?
In Oecusse, 12.7% of children aged 3 to 5 were attending school (including pre-school) at the 2022 census. It ranks as the lowest of 14 municipalities, against 20.3% for Timor-Leste as a whole.
Source: National Statistics Institute of Timor-Leste (INETL, I.P.) · saved copyWhat is the literacy rate in Oecusse?
In Oecusse, 55.6% of people aged 5 and over were literate at the 2022 census. It ranks as the lowest of 14 municipalities, against 70.7% for Timor-Leste as a whole.
Source: National Statistics Institute of Timor-Leste (INETL, I.P.) · saved copyWhat is the youth literacy rate in Oecusse?
Among young people aged 15 to 24 in Oecusse, 75.7% were literate at the 2022 census. It ranks as the lowest of 14 municipalities, against 87.3% for Timor-Leste as a whole.
Source: National Statistics Institute of Timor-Leste (INETL, I.P.) · saved copyHow many women and men can read in Oecusse?
In Oecusse, 56.3% of males and 54.9% of females aged 5 and over were literate at the 2022 census (Timor-Leste: 72.5% of males, 68.8% of females).
Source: National Statistics Institute of Timor-Leste (INETL, I.P.) · saved copyHow many women can read in Oecusse?
In the 2016 Demographic and Health Survey, 64.2% of women aged 15 to 49 in Oecusse could read a whole sentence or part of one. It ranks as the 3rd lowest of 13 municipalities, against 74.6% for Timor-Leste as a whole.
Source: General Directorate of Statistics and Ministry of Health of Timor-Leste, with ICF (DHS Program) · saved copyHow many years of school do women in Oecusse complete?
Women aged 15 to 49 in Oecusse had completed a median of 5.3 years of schooling in the 2016 Demographic and Health Survey. It ranks as the joint 2nd lowest of 13 municipalities, against 8.0 years for Timor-Leste as a whole.
Source: General Directorate of Statistics and Ministry of Health of Timor-Leste, with ICF (DHS Program) · saved copyHow many schools are there in Oecusse?
Oecusse had 74 public and 7 private basic education schools, 6 public and 1 private general secondary schools, and 2 public and 2 private technical secondary schools in 2023 (Ministry of Education EMIS data published by INETL).
Source: National Statistics Institute of Timor-Leste (INETL, I.P.), from Ministry of Education EMIS, Ministry of Health HIMS and the Agriculture Census 2019 · saved copyHow many pupils are there in public basic schools in Oecusse?
The 74 public basic education schools in Oecusse had 16,253 pupils and 651 teachers in 2023, 25.0 pupils per teacher (25.1 across all public basic schools in Timor-Leste); that is 4th highest of 13 municipalities.
Source: National Statistics Institute of Timor-Leste (INETL, I.P.), from Ministry of Education EMIS, Ministry of Health HIMS and the Agriculture Census 2019 · saved copyHow many students attend public secondary schools in Oecusse?
The 6 public secondary schools in Oecusse had 2,331 students and 109 teachers in 2023, 21.4 students per teacher (30.1 across Timor-Leste); that is 2nd lowest of 13 municipalities.
Source: National Statistics Institute of Timor-Leste (INETL, I.P.), from Ministry of Education EMIS, Ministry of Health HIMS and the Agriculture Census 2019 · saved copyHow Oecusse compares with other special administrative regions
Children aged 6 to 14 attending school (2022)
Oecusse ranks 14 of 14, highest first. Share of children aged 6-14 attending school at the 2022 census.
| Rank | Region | Children aged 6 to 14 attending school |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Atauro | 83.7% |
| 9 | Cova Lima | 81.5% |
| 10 | Liquiçá | 78.9% |
| 11 | Ainaro | 76.9% |
| 12 | Bobonaro | 75.9% |
| 13 | Ermera | 73.6% |
| 14 | Oecusse | 71.5% |
Literacy rate, people aged 5 and over (2022)
Oecusse ranks 14 of 14, highest first. Share of people aged 5 and over who are literate (2022 census).
| Rank | Region | Literacy rate, people aged 5 and over |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Liquiçá | 67.6% |
| 9 | Aileu | 67.3% |
| 10 | Viqueque | 66.3% |
| 11 | Ainaro | 61.3% |
| 12 | Bobonaro | 60.6% |
| 13 | Ermera | 59.9% |
| 14 | Oecusse | 55.6% |
Pupils per teacher, public basic schools (2023)
Oecusse ranks 4 of 13, highest first. Pupils divided by teachers in public basic education schools (Ministry of Education EMIS, 2023). Atauro is counted with Dili in these records.
| Rank | Region | Pupils per teacher, public basic schools |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liquiçá | 33.7 |
| 2 | Dili | 32.7 |
| 3 | Ermera | 31.2 |
| 4 | Oecusse | 25.0 |
| 5 | Lautém | 24.4 |
| 6 | Manatuto | 24.0 |
| 7 | Bobonaro | 22.3 |
More on Oecusse: overview · economy and jobs · health · poverty and living standards · government budget · Timor-Leste
Sources
- National Statistics Institute of Timor-Leste (INETL, I.P.): Timor-Leste Population and Housing Census 2022, Main Report (Tables 4.3, 4.11, 4.12, 4.18, 4.20, 4.22), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 bd4177c7b2b0…)
- General Directorate of Statistics and Ministry of Health of Timor-Leste, with ICF (DHS Program): Timor-Leste Demographic and Health Survey 2016, Final Report (municipality tables), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5b18945332c9…)
- National Statistics Institute of Timor-Leste (INETL, I.P.), from Ministry of Education EMIS, Ministry of Health HIMS and the Agriculture Census 2019: Timor-Leste in Numbers 2023 (schools, health facilities and staff, agriculture census tables by municipality), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b424ff847790…)
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