The Government of the Azores will invest nearly 37 million Euros in school works next year, revealed the Regional Secretary for Education and Training in Horta on Thursday.
The information was provided by Lina Mendes at the end of a hearing with the Commission for Social Affairs of the Legislative Assembly on the proposals for the Regional Annual Plan and Budget for 2011.
According to the Regional Secretary, new works are scheduled for the next year, such as the investments in the Gaspar Frutuoso Basic Education School (8.3 million Euros), Água de Pau Basic Education School (7.6 million Euros) on São Miguel; Velas Basic Education School (5.8 million Euros) on São Jorge; Ponta da Ilha Basic Education School on Pico.
Despite recognizing a slight decline in investment compared to 2010, Lina Mendes classified the plan for next year as “a good plan” and ensured that investment has increased compared to 2009, which will allows “moving ahead with the new expansion and renewal works to be carried in several schools.”
With regard to education, the Secretary also stated that “the conditions are met to assure the quality of the education system, either for teacher training or for the equipment and computerisation issues.”
Furthermore, Lina Mendes reminded that the plan for 2011 approximately allocates 11.4 million Euros to the training of teaching and non-teaching staff of regional schools, and for school social support.
Under the proposal for Regional Annual Plan and Budget for 2011, nearly 67.5 million Euros will be allocated to the Regional Secretariat for Education and Training which will be invested in the programmes “development of educational infrastructures and of the educational system” (55.2 million Euros) and “sports development” (12.3 million Euros).