A record 52 Timorese students have graduated with life changing Australian qualifications from the NT Senai English Language Centre based in Becora, Dili.

The graduation ceremony held on Wednesday celebrated 25 students obtaining their Certificate I in Spoken and Written English and 27 students their Certificate I in Foundational Skills.

Chief Executive of Department of Education Vicki Baylis attended the graduation in Becora.

“The graduates have gained a fully accredited Australian qualification giving the students lifelong skills, creating employment opportunities and a pathway for further study,” Ms Baylis said.

“I am pleased to see the positive impact that this program is having on the students and the Timorese community– two of the 2016 students have secured Northern Territory Government scholarships to study at Charles Darwin University with one of the students to commence a Bachelor of Education (Primary) degree in 2017.”

“By receiving an accredited qualification in English, the students are also strengthening their position as a potential employee in not only Timor, but also Australia.

“There have been some fantastic outcomes with this program with more than half of the 2016 graduates securing ongoing local employment in Timor.”

Principal of the NT Senai English Language Centre Maria Albion said that due to the success of the program in 2016, the school has been inundated with applications for the 2017 program.

“Community response and Timor Leste Government support has been really positive,” Mrs Albion said.

“The school is going from strength to strength with three courses running in Semester One; Certificate 1 and 2 in Spoken and Written English, as well as Certificate 2 in Foundation Skills in 2017.

“The school has a 100% attendance rate and a 100% completion rate which is an incredible achievement – the way the students value education is something that we can all learn from.”

The Certificate I in Foundational Skills gives students a range of skills specific to the hospitality and agribusiness industries and graduates have the opportunity to seek employment in the Territory as part of the seasonal worker program.

The centre, which is based in the Sentru Formasaun Profisional Training School in Becora, Dili, is a key implementation of the Northern Territory International Education and Training Strategy 2014-2024.

Media contact – Joss Wyer 0401 119 215