The Regional Secretary for Education and Training assured that the process that led to closing of elementary schools, announced last Friday, was not decided unilaterally.

When asked to comment the statements made by the Vice-President of the parliamentary group of CDS-PP, Cláudia Cardoso reminded that, according to the provisions of the legislation, the measure was “coordinated with all school units involved because the Government would not decide without knowing whether the host schools would have the necessary conditions to receive these students.”

In some cases, “the school units even suggested closing more schools than the ones that were closed.

We have considered several factors and we have always taken into account the best interests of children and youngsters, which is what in question and should be the concern of all, not just of the Government.”

This has been a “long and pondered process addressed at the achievement of o very important goal which is to ensure the quality of students’ education,” stated the Regional Secretary.

Cláudia Cardoso reiterated that “it does not make sense the existence of schools in the Region whose size and number of students is so low that requires the same teacher to teach four grades and sometimes two, a situation that brings clear disadvantages both for teachers and students” since the latter would be mingled with “classmates who are a year head or a year behind. From an educational point of view, this situation brings serious implications.

Parents “should bear in mind the interest of their children, understand it and realise that children at this age need strong stimulus for their development.”

Recalling the rules on the administrative management of students, the Regional Secretary also explained that “in the cases when the school has ten students or less, it is outright closed” and in the cases when the school has more than ten students, but is teacher is required to teach several grades, “the Regional Government exceptionally authorises in these cases” the maintenance of schools “when it is not possible to find a better solution.”

The schools now closed evidence “situations when, in coordination with the school boards, a better solution has been found either in terms of physical conditions” or in terms of opportunities for students “to be integrated in classes with students at the same grade level instead of being integrated in classes with more than three grades,” stated the Regional Secretary.

Cláudia Cardoso added that “this is not even an economist measure because, as we know, these students will be provided with transportation and meals.”

On the other hand, some schools were closed due to “the creation of new school infrastructures and, therefore, students will be transferred to this new school,” such as the case of the new São Sebastião School (Francisco Ferreira Drumond) or the Ponta Garça School.