The Regional Secretary for Education and Culture assured in Horta that the Regional Government is "effectively complying" with the EU directive on the integration of temporarily hired teachers in a process that will culminate in 2016.

Avelino Meneses, who spoke Thursday at the plenary session of the Legislative Assembly, stressed that this directive "recommends" the integration of hired teachers, but "does not define the integration model." In this context, the government official recalled that the model was defined by the Region, through legislation approved by the Parliament.

"We have stipulated the opening of 300 vacancies, through the special teaching applications taking place in 2014, 2015 and 2016," said Avelino Meneses.

"In 2016, we will naturally carry out the assessment of the process, depending on whether or not the hired teachers who meet the permanent needs of the Regional Education System are already attached to the regional teaching staff.

With regard to the 300 vacancies, the Secretary for Education said that 199 were already provided in the special teaching applications that were already opened, adding that the remaining vacancies will be made available in 2016 application.

Avelino Meneses confirmed that the Azores have proceeded with the hiring of more teachers, over 876, in the school year 2015/2016 at a time when there is a decrease in the number of students, which also "represents a decrease in the number of hired teachers."

This increase in the labour supply aims to meet the temporary needs of teachers "in areas we consider strategic," particularly in Elementary School and Special Education in the subjects of Portuguese and Math; the latter are "indispensable" to implementation of ProSucesso, the programme for the promotion of school success, stressed Avelino Meneses.

The Regional Secretary added that this measure is also intended to replace 252 teachers who are rendering service outside the education system, apart from the members of the school board, the reductions in the teaching working hours and the "many teachers" who are working on the "temporary projects" that are being developed by schools.

As for the teaching application, Avelino Meneses also pointed out the Azores "have the most transparent and simple system" that "guarantees" the "timely filling of vacancies without doubt and mishaps."

For this reason, Avelino Meneses stressed that "he understands, although with difficulty, the existence of forces in the Azores, including a union, defending that what is happening in Mainland Portugal is good."