History of SJTIS

In 2013, Mme. Hiedie Mariano Veranga, a Filipino citizen along with three other teachers, Ms. Flordelis Paltingca, Ms. Beatriz P. Oling, and Mrs. Nanette Salcedo took the challenge of establishing an affordable Catholic school here in Timor-Leste. The school then carries the name “St. Jude Thaddeus School”. Her sister, Sr. Malou Mariano OP, a Dominican Missionary from the Philippines based here in East Timor for 16 years, served her religious adviser to fully develop the school to serve the needs of Catholic families coming from both local and international communities catering diversity of culture.

To help in advertising, two Timorese friends, Francisca Soares and Elisabeth Araujo helped in the education marketing bringing awareness to the community of the newly- established school. Likewise, the owner, Mme. Hiedie M. Veranga, took this challenge seriously undertaking a feasibility study and seeking approval from the Ministry of Education in 2014.

The acting director then, Mr. Edwin A. Atim worked closely that year with the owner to write the schools Mission Statement and to lay the groundwork for the opening of the school and to officially operate in Fatuhada, Dili, Timor-Leste on January 2014.

The school opened with a staff of 4 Filipino and 8 Timorese teachers. By the start of 2015, Mme. Veranga assumed the office of director, which then started its affiliation with Sir Melan Learning Center Inc. located in Pangasinan, Philippines. The school was named then to “St. Jude Thaddeus International School” following its affiliation with the aforementioned school in in the Philippines. In the same year, the owner found a new location to transfer in Vila Verde, Dili, Timor-Leste where they received a warm welcome by the community to accommodate the growing number of enrollment. Current enrollment is within capacity which caters population coming from a diversity of culture including children of Filipino expatriates but mostly Timorese children coming from different areas in Dili, the capital city of Timor-Leste.

When the school began, it offered Playgroup, Kindegarten 1 and 2 through the Sixth Grade instruction. The school has expanded over the years to provide instructions through Junior and and Senior High School. Graduating its Grade 6 in November 2014, Grade 7 in November 2016 and Grade 12 in November 2018.

Due to the demand of the increasing number of enrollment both local and international students, a permanent school building; a covered court; a basketball court; Music, Computer and Science Laboratories have all been constructed since the founding of the school.

Teaching staff undergo yearly In-service Training on Computer Literacy, Code of Ethics, and New Teaching Strategies facilitated by competent and qualified teachers and administrators as part of Professional Development Program of the school.

St. Jude Thaddeus International School follows K-12 Curriculum with the integration of Portuguese and Tetum Languages and Historia e Geografia as prescribed by the Ministry of Education of the host country, Timo-Leste.

With its 6 th years of existence in the country, the school is facing for more future expansion and recognition under the supervision of the Ministry of Education, Timor-Leste and Department of Education, Philippines. For these coming years, the charism of St. Jude Thaddeus International School shall continue to live!