“António Sousa Pereira lied”. Minister would accept resignation from the rector of the University of Porto

Fernando Alexandre says he did not think ever, in his duties, to hear a maximum leader of a higher education institution “lying as the Porto Rector did”. The president of FAP says that there was a lack of understanding between the rector and the director of FMUP, who were rivals in the election for the rectory.

The Minister of Education expressed this Friday “huge disappointment”In view of the rector of the University of Porto, who accused lying about alleged pressures To accept candidates for the medical course, and said he would accept his resignation.

“I want to start by saying, very clearly, that the rector of the University of Porto, António Sousa Pereira, lied. The highest representative of one of the most important education institutions in our country lied, ”he said Fernando Alexandre at the beginning of a press conference.

The press conference had been scheduled to present the measures approved on Thursday by the Council of Ministers for the Education Sector, but the ruler began to respond to a controversy related to the Integrated Master of Medicine at the University of Porto.

At issue is news of the newspaper Expresso, to whom the rector of that institution denounced, not wanting to advance names, to let in medical school 30 candidates who had not obtained the minimum classification in the test required by the special access course for licenses in other areas.

The subject, says the rector, arrived at the Minister of Educationwho called the rector the express availability to create vacancies Extraordinary so that these students (who had not obtained the minimum classification in the test required in the Special Contest of Access for Licenses in other areas) took place at the Medical School.

“The minister would like this to be done, but I told him, ‘I don’t do it. I comply with the law. If the Minister understands that it must be otherwise, give me the order and I execute it, ‘”the rector of the UP told the Express.

Fernando Alexandre denied the university leader Porto, and stated at the press conference that was the rector himself to contact himunderlining that The problem was created by the university itselfthrough the Faculty of Medicine.

The Minister of Education left harsh criticism of António Sousa Pereiramanifesting “huge disappointment” with the rector, and even said that he would accept a Resignation of the leaderif it presented it.

“I confess that I didn’t think that someday, In these functions, he heard a maximum leader of a higher education institution Lying like the Porto Rector It did, ”he said.

At issue are students who ran for the special access competition for licenses, but have obtained less than 14 values ​​in the knowledge test required in the selection process, which It is automatically reason for exclusionaccording to the contest regulations, published in “Diário da República”.

Already after the results of the exam, the selection committee of the contest, composed of Six faculty teachers‘deliberated to propose the exceptional application’ of a minimum grade of 10 valuesinstead of the 14 established in the regulation, which allowed the entry to 30 more students. ”

The rector will only have known several days later, on July 7, and refused to approve the list of placed because he considered that the entry of those candidates It was illegal in the light of the regulationsays the Express.

Following the decision, they were admitted only the seven that had more than 14 values, with the remaining 30 vacancies initially opened in this contingent reversed to the National Competition for Access to Higher Education, as stipulated the legislation in force.

However, the director of the Faculty of Medicine, Altamiro da Costa Pereiraargued that 30 extraordinary vacancies could be opened to allow their entry into the course, even if they had not obtained the minimum required grade.

Rector says pressures came from “influential people”

The rector of the University of Porto reiterated today that “At no point” the news of Expresso REferent that was pressured by the Minister of Education Accepting candidates for the medical course, but by “influential and with access to power” people.
In a statement sent to Lusa, António Sousa Pereira guarantees that it did not lie and said that the news advanced by Expresso refers “pressures of several people Influcents and with access to power”.

The Rector considers, therefore, Strange the statements of the minister From education, Fernando Alexandre, who accused the rector of lying.

“The“ clarification ”of the Ministry of Education, and the later statement of the Minister at a press conference confirmed, moreover, all facts Described in the news of the Express, including the pressures that Meci and Parliament were also object, ”wrote the rector.

Sousa Pereira said that will only provide additional clarifications to entities that are still called to intervene in this process.

The PSD asked on Friday afternoon a urgent hearing of the minister of education, Rector of U.Porto and the director of the Faculty of Medicine to provide clarification on the alleged pressures. However, the PS and IL also called for the hearing of the Minister of Education in Parliament.

FAP requires internal inquiry

The Academic Federation of Porto demanded this Friday an “internal inquiry” to investigate Because the director of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto reported from the entry of 30 candidates in medicine Without authorization from the Rector from the University of Porto.

In an interview with Lusa, the president of FAP, Francisco Fernandessays feeling “Embarrassed” by the feeling of frustration which was caused to 30 candidates for the U.Porto medical degree, considered the best university in Portugal, and asked for an “internal inquiry” to find out responsibilities.

“We defend an internal inquiry so that this will never happen again. We are embarrassed by the feeling of frustration that was caused to students and, above all, How is the University of Porto possiblebetween rectory and organic entities, they cannot understand each other, ”he said.

Francisco Fernandes regrets that an email has been launched by FMUP without the rector’s authorization. “The University of Porto is one”He stressed.

According to the president of FAP, “There was a candidate who said goodbye of employment, Another who sold the houseanother who said goodbye to work abroad. ”That is, the candidates who learned that they were definitely put changed your life.

This contest It is for licensed students, older people Which are between 25 and 30 years old, explained Francisco Fernandes.

According to the president of FAP, the case had originated in the lack of understanding between the rector of the University of Porto and the current director of the Faculty of Medicine, which They were rivals in the election for the rector from the institution to the term 2022-2026.

The Federation marked an Rurgent eunion For the night of this Friday with All student associations from the University of Porto to react to the “aggravation” of the relationship between U.Porto and the Ministry of Education.