The Regional Secretary for Education and Culture stated in Lagoa that the "focus on education is always the best investment in the future insofar as it is the main driving force in innovation that generates growth and the main driving force in dignity that generates development."
 
Avelino Meneses spoke at the presentation of the "School, Family and Community" project, a community-based intervention to be developed in the municipality of Lagoa in partnership with the Regional Secretariats for Social Solidarity, Education and Culture and the municipality of Lagoa.
 
"The project is intended to promote school success by reducing absenteeism and retention," said the Regional Secretary.
 
"Considering that the causes of school failure are beyond the school walls, taking root in the contingencies of the societies, the strategy is focused on the involvement of families and communities with the aim of fighting discouragement and instil hope so that we may raise expectations in the future by virtue of the benefits of education," said Avelino Meneses.
 
This project is coordinated by José Henrique Ornelas, professor at the Institute for Applied Psychology. It comprises an intervention with teachers from the three schools of this municipality, endowing them with the skills to render a more efficient action in fight the difficulties and discouragement of students. Moreover, it also includes an intervention with families, promoting, through social workers, a better follow-up of children and proximity to school.
 
On her part, the Regional Secretary for Social Solidarity, who also attended the event, stressed that recovering lost time in education " is a relentless struggle of all those who work with families, whether in the community or in school. "
 
At community level, this initiative intends mobilise various organisations and associations so that the entire municipality will be mobilised for the fight against school failure.
 
"The fight against poverty and social exclusion is not only carried out by social workers", Andreia Cardoso said, noting that "there is a necessary coordination between various areas and sectors so that may enhance the potential for success since early childhood."