Across Timor-Leste, some 30,121 elementary school students, 17,753 secondary school students and 5,227 vocational-level school students are registered to take part in year-end exams scheduled for 14-16 October.

On Monday, Soares, said every effort was being made to ensure students were well-prepared, and that they could sit their exams in a supportive learning environment.

He said revision classes had started this week.

Dulce also confirmed that the Council of Ministers had agreed to change the printing contract for the exams to the Timor-Leste National Printing (INTL), and exam monitoring to the Ministry of Education and Culture (MEJD).

In 2018, the printing and monitoring contract had been handled by the Korean International Cooperation Agency.

Dulce said the MEJD had put into place “quality control” systems in order to ensure exam papers were kept under tight security.

He also said provisions had also been made to pay MEJD staff overtime during the exam period to support students and make sure their papers were kept in order.