The Regional Secretary for Education and Culture stated in Ponta Delgada that the Regional Government has not planned the construction of a new basic education and secondary school in the village of Povoação, S. Miguel Island.
 
Avelino Meneses spoke to journalists at the end of a hearing at the Committee on Social Affairs of the Legislative Assembly. On the occasion, he stated that the Government has invested more than 300 thousand Euros in the conservation and improvement of the existing school over the past five years.
 
The Secretary for Education added that there is a planned intervention for Povoação Basic Education and Secondary School to improve the kitchen and the outdoor playground.
 
According to Avelino Meneses, a new construction is not justified due to the decrease in the number of students and the fact that the Furnas school establishment offers schooling for students up to junior high school. This relieves any pressure on the main building, which currently houses just over 450 students and has no safety issues.
 
The construction of a new school would require the relocation of the school establishment from the town centre of Povoação with the impacts resulting therefrom.
 
Avelino Meneses also mentioned that the Regional Government is completing the cycle of new constructions namely on S. Miguel Island with the construction of Capelas school and the works in Rabo de Peixe and Arrifes schools.
 
After this cycle, Regional Secretary emphasised that the Government will design a plan for the conservation and remodelling of schools, which already has a financial allocation of 3.5 million Euros for 2020.