The Regional Director for Education and Training said on Tuesday morning in the city of Ribeira Grande on São Miguel Island that Azorean schools are inclusive, which is a motive of pride. 
Azorean schools are, and we can say it proudly, inclusive schools,” said Fabíola Cardoso, where “all children and youngsters with special educational needs are integrated in our education system.”
The Regional Director spoke at the opening session of the First Regional Meeting of School Psychologists – Ten Years of Sharing and added that the support and intervention of school psychologists “has been fundamental” in this process.
Nonetheless, she warned, “there is still a path to be followed to ensure that our education system is truly inclusive for students who, without having any type of diagnosed disability, have learning difficulties or disruptive behaviour, which sometimes they do not know the best way to deal with it.”
The early assessment of learning disabilities as well as an early intervention focused on the students’ actual and practical difficulties “are fundamental aspects to ensure that we are providing our students with real learning and success opportunities,” stressed Fabíola Cardoso. 
In this context, she added, the intervention of Psychology and Guidance Services (SPO) in the early assessment of students, in the proposal of differentiated work methods and in the establishment of effective partnerships with teachers to monitor students “will be the necessary measures to accomplish these goals.”
Simultaneously, the Government of the Azores is promoting a pilot experience at the Ginetes Basic Education School in order to improve the educational support provided; the Project “Intervention for Success” has reformulated the tutoring activity, in the latest amendment to the creation, autonomy and management scheme of organic units of the regional education system, and proposed the implementation of school mediation under the Students’ Administrative and Educational Management Rules, reminded Fabíola Cardoso.
“Tutoring and school mediation aim to promote the integration of students, develop personal and social skills, prevent indiscipline, school failure and dropout will greatly benefit with the close collaboration of school psychologists,” stated the Regional Director.