A DISPUTA LINGUÍSTICA NO ENSINO SUPERIOR E O IMPACTO NA FORMAÇÃO DOCENTE EM TIMOR-LESTE

The language policy of Timor-Leste has been one of the most controversial topics in the country’s educational and academic landscape. Since the reintroduction of Portuguese as an official language in 2002, its implementation in higher education has posed institutional, pedagogical, and sociocultural challenges. Despite recent legislation mandating Portuguese as the primary language of higher education, resistance persists among academics, teachers, and students, who argue that the labor market prioritizes English and Indonesian. The debate intensifies with concerns that language policies favor Portuguese over Tétum, raising questions about the balance between the two official languages. This article critically analyzes the linguistic dispute in Timorese higher education, considering its impact on teacher training, education quality, and graduate employability. The research follows a qualitative approach, based on bibliographic review and documentary analysis of current educational and academic policies. The findings indicate that linguistic fragmentation in universities compromises equal access to education and exacerbates social inequalities. Thus, strategies are proposed to reconcile the promotion of Portuguese with the realities of the national sociolinguistic context, such as structured bilingual education programs, enhanced teacher training, and the development of Portuguese-language academic materials adapted to Timor-Leste’s reality.