Previously, in 2017–18, he was Minister of Education and Culture in the earlier VII Constitutional Government, led by Mari Alkatiri.

[1] He attended SMA Seminari Lalian Atambua, in Belu Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia.

[3] From 2000, Hanjam was a Professor, and later Vice Rector, at the National University of East Timor (Universidade Nasionál Timór Lorosa'e (UNTL)).

[1][4] In 2012, Hanjam was under discussion for possible appointment as Secretary of State for Oecusse-Ambeno in the V Constitutional Government under Xanana Gusmão.

[6][7] At that time, he was a member of the People's Liberation Party (Tetum: Partidu Libertasaun Popular (PLP)), which was not officially involved in that government; he later switched to Fretilin.