The Regional Secretary for Education and Culture defended today in the town of São Sebastião, Terceira, that education "is the best way" to combat inequality, and to promote economic and social development.
 
Speaking on the sidelines of the session marking the beginning of the new school year, Avelino Meneses stressed that he sought to pass the massage that "it is worth studying," as qualifications "are never too much."
 
"Regardless the economic and social crises, there are always opportunities for work and these opportunities may be easily found by those who hold higher qualifications," said the government official.
 
This is the spirit guiding the ProSucesso-Azores for Education project. Designed for the promotion of school success, this plan is primarily intended "to ensure that all students complete their education, having acquired all the essential learning so that they have more opportunities in society," said the Secretary for Education.
 
For the government official, ProSucesso is meeting expectations since "the targets set for 2020-2021" in terms of progression rates were fully achieved in the 2017-2018 school year.
 
These efforts, which need to be "monitored," must continue "with enthusiasm." Bearing this purpose in mind, Avelino Meneses mentioned that the 2018-2019 school year has opened focusing on ProSucesso and on one of its "most emblematic" projects - the "Prof. DA - Specialised Teachers in Detecting Learning Difficulties." The latter is implemented with the collaboration of Ricardo Teixeira, professor at the University of the Azores, for the area of Mathematics.
 
The project is being developed throughout the archipelago and covers the elementary and middle school levels. There are plans to extend it to junior high school "in order to effectively reverse the results that, for us, are not yet the best," added the government official.
 
In view of the decline in the number of students and the permanent challenges that the global society poses, Avelino Meneses also mentioned that it is necessary to "increasingly" establish a lifelong training programme, because "professionals are going out of date very quickly."
 
"We must promote ongoing training. When I mention training for adults, I do not just talk about literacy, I am talking about updating knowledge," said the government official.
 
In the 2018-2019 school year, which officially started in the Azores, about 36,500 students are enrolled in 40 regional school establishments, being supported by about 5,000 teachers.