PS/Azores criticized on Monday the “total disorganization” at the start of the school year in the region, warning of the “indefinite number of teachers” on several islands and the “problems with the implementation” of digital textbooks.
At a press conference, held at the Socialists’ headquarters in Ponta Delgada, the deputy to the Regional Assembly Carlos Silva stressed that the start of the school year, which starts this Monday, has been marked by a “set of doubts, information and problems”.
The parliamentarian criticized the government of the Azores (PSD/CDS-PP/PPM) for having schools “that are not properly prepared”, because they have a “insufficient” internet network or because he “digital manuals not yet available”.
These disturbances, even if they existed, could be minimized. The information that reaches us is that there is a total disorganization: nobody knows what is happening, nor are there explanations for the late delivery (of the manuals) and for the manuals not working”, he said.
Carlos Silva revealed that he knew the schools in Ponta Delgada and Ribeira Grande, on the island of São Miguel, where students have not yet had access to digital textbooks.
The process of implementing digital manuals is, in fact, disorganized and there is very little clarification on the subject. It is not clear why, this Monday, all the students no longer have the manuals available and in full working order,” he stated.
The regional deputy recalled that in the previous school year (2021/2022) pilot projects were carried out in São Miguel and Terceira for the implementation of digital books and said “it is rare that an evaluation has not been presented to the educational communities” about those projects.
The socialist also criticized theuncertainty about the number of teachersespecially in the smaller islands”, giving the examples of Corvo, Flores, Santa María and Graciosa.
The deputy also condemned the “confusion” due to lack of operational assistantswhich may lead some schools to “not reopen”.
According to what he said, PS/Azores was “surprised” by the decision of the Ministry of Education to “recently” set up a coordinating commission for ProSucesso, a project launched in 2015 by the previous PS regional government, which the current Executive “would replace with the Education Strategy for the Decade”.
This means that the The regional government has not been able to design a different strategy than ProSucesso. (…) If ProSucesso continues, do its goals also continue? What rates were achieved in 2021/22?” he asked.
Created in 2015 by the regional government led by the PS, the Comprehensive Plan for the Promotion of School Success, called ProSucesso, aimed to reduce the rate of early school leaving and increase school success at all levels and educational cycles.
The socialist “greeted the entire educational community of the Azores” on the first day of the school year, recalling that, “unlike the government that was absent from the region, PS/Azores is present and marks the importance of this day.”
We were present on this day, because we consider it important for the educational community, therefore, we are surprised that for the regional government the priority is another. Our priority is to be here”, he reinforced.
Members of the government of the Azores are in Madeira for a summit between regional executives.
In May, the Secretary for Education and Cultural Affairs, Sofía Ribeiro, assured that all 5th and 8th grade students will have access to digital textbooks in this courseeither
Source: Observadora
