The government will be evaluating the impact individual scholarship recipients have on improving capacity in key development sectors like health and justice with employment data,  but it’s too early to quantify as many scholarship recipients remain studying abroad, Aparicio told reporters.

He also said that many new government employers  being hired were university scholarship recipients.

Since 2011, Timor-Leste’s university scholarship program has supported 10, 518 Timorese access graduate and post-graduate degree education opportunities abroad. 

Several countries are available for Timorese to get help to study in, including Portugal, the United Kingdom, Mozambique, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippine, Malaysia, Canada, Cuba, Spain, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Some young Timorese remain sceptical tertiary qualifications will lead to secure employment, amid a youth unemployment rate that has increased from 10.5% in 2011 to 13.3% in 2022, according to official data.