The Regional Secretary for Education and Culture stated in Ponta Delgada that expects the new rules on the evaluation of teachers and school boards in the archipelago will enter into force in the school year 2016/2017.
 
Avelino Meneses spoke to journalists during a new round of discussions with teachers' unions on this subject. According to him, the approval of the regional implementing decree following the timings set by the Government, which is "to have a new evaluation process into force by the beginning of the next school year."
 
The evaluation process, which the government official considered to be "simpler" and "more efficient," requires that "teachers submit a self-assessment report on a period basis that will contribute to their professional development as well as to the academic success of students," stressed the government official.
 
"The assessment will be made at the end of each bracket, generally every four years, with the exception of the 5th bracket. As for hired teachers, who were required to carry out an annual assessment, their evaluation will now be made every two years," said Avelino Meneses.
 
For the Regional Secretary for Education and Culture, this also means that we are "eliminating excessive bureaucracy from teachers," who "often saw themselves faced with the need to not only submit reports but also to fill in evaluation forms. This took them the time to fulfil their most important duties: educational and scientific activities."
 
Avelino Meneses also said this negotiating process, which might require an additional meeting at the request of unions, has allowed us to reach "important consensuses."
 
The Regional Secretary stressed that this process aims "to regulate the situation of teachers from the time their careers stagnated up to the present time."