The government signed this Monday two new ordinances to allow, in the next school year, to start opening pre-school vacancies to welcome five thousand children up to three years-with a special focus in the Lisbon area. The most needy families will have priority.
In March, the government had already announced new rooms with a minimum of 20 children or rooms adapted to receive more children.
This measure was announced at the last board meeting of ministers before the parliament sketches the motion of trust to the government.
At that time, a resolution was approved with the expense of 42.5 million euros so that in the next three school years, the agreements that will be celebrated with the private and cooperative sector and social and solidarity sector are celebrated, to open 200 new preschool rooms or existing rooms.
A diagnosis recently requested by the government revealed that in Portugal there is More than 10,000 children without access to pre-school vacancies.
This measure of creation of 200 new rooms will allow free access about Half of these children.
Who will have priority?
As more needy families will have priority and the idea is to reinforce the offer in the most needy municipalities, which are mostly Lisbon Zone.
“Of the ten municipalities where there is the greatest lack of supply, for children of families in a vulnerable socioeconomic context, there are nine that are part of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area. Among these are Sintra, Seixal, Amadora, Odivelas, Lisbon and Barreiro,” says a statement issued today by the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation (MECI).
The survey requested by the government also shows that “the greatest need for pre-school vacancies is located in 186 parishes of 68 municipalities from north to south of the country.”
With both ordinances, it will then be possible to start the contest for the opening of five thousand vacancies in existing rooms and up to 200 new rooms.
Ordinances provide for the assignment of a Direct support from the state of 208.05 euros monthly per child and an incentive of 15 thousand euros for each new opened roomand this incentive will be available only in the year of opening the new room.
The whole process of applying for vacancies and opening new rooms, including the analysis and selection of entities, will be managed by the Directorate-General of School Administration and the Institute of Social Security.
