The Regional Secretary for Education and Culture stressed the fact that former Minister of Education, Roberto Carneiro, an expert on educational matters, will be responsible for the training of school leaders in the Azores.

Avelino Meneses spoke at the signing ceremony of a protocol between the Regional Directorate for Education, Microsoft and the Portuguese Catholic University for the training of innovative leaders. The Regional Secretary stressed that this initiative "aims to familiarise" those who daily manage the school establishment of the Regional Education System with the "new administrative and financial management methods, the "new leadership mechanisms" as well as with the "new pedagogical innovation strategies conducive to school success."

"Teachers are key pieces in the learning process of our students. In other words, they are the driving force of the school success we boldly pursue," reiterated the Regional Secretary.
In regard to teachers, Avelino Meneses emphasised "the importance of cooperation among school leaders," who "are not appointed by the Regional Government and are endowed with the autonomy we believe that was, at least, reasonable."

Avelino Meneses stressed that school leaders "implement the policies set by the Government after the electoral process." Hence there should "a relation of trust and complicity" between the Regional Secretariat and school leaders, which "requires the commitment of both parties" and "the freedom of criticism."

"For our part, we provide a useful training so you may increasingly and assertively respond to challenges we have launched, most which concern the improvement of the students' learning process so that they become efficient professionals, eventually scientist capable of inducing progress in the economy and justice in society," said the government official.

Initially, this training course will take place on the island of São Miguel and falls within the development ProSucesso - Azores for Education, Programme for the Promotion of School Success. According to Avelino Meneses, "it is one of the main challenges for the future of our islands insofar as knowledge is now the key pillar of development."