Rodrigo Antunes / Lusa
The National Federation of Teachers (FENPROF) admits going to court to have access to the results of the measures implemented to reduce the number of students without classes, which the Government does not reveal.
A FENPROF admitted resorting to tribunal to have data on students without classes, who have been requesting the Government without success.
This Thursday, “the deadline for the ministry to respond ends. If it does not do so, FENPROF will resort to a judicial subpoena to obtain the required information”, he announced. Mario Nogueira.
Speaking to journalists, during a press conference to take stock of the lack of teachers in schools in the first class period, Mário Nogueira said that there are several actions under the “Mais Aulas Mais Sucesso” plan, which defined 15 measures, whose “impact is still unknown”.
FENPROF requested data from the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation (MECI) on the results of various measures, such as the one that provides for the possibility of hiring higher education teachers and researchers to teach in primary and secondary schools, as well as of doctorates and masters with their own qualifications, doctoral fellows or duly qualified immigrants.
“To date, this information has not yet been received”criticized Mário Nogueira, revealing that, on Thursday, “the deadline set out in the Code of Administrative Procedure for the ministry to respond” expires and at that time FENPROF will move forward with a court summons.
Regarding the remaining measures, whose results are known, FENPROF pointed out “lack of effectiveness” and accused the guardianship of “lack of ambition”.
Of the thousand teachers that MECI expected to temporarily postpone the reform, only 285 agreed to do so, just as only 265 new teachers entered the system through the extraordinary external competition that opened 2309 vacancies, pointed out Mário Nogueira.
If only 63 already retired teachers agreed to return to teaching, being paid for it, FENPROF says it has “little doubt” that there are teachers interested in returning to schools on a voluntary basis, as foreseen in the plan “Learn + Now” (A+A).
The A+A plan envisions that these retirees can support students at risk of academic failure or help young teachers, who are now arriving at schools.
Mário Nogueira recalled that there continues to be a large effective reduction in teachers in schools, due to the difference between young people who start teaching and those who retire, which in this calendar year alone will be close to four thousand.
Government approves new measures
Also this Wednesday, the Government approved new measures to facilitate teacher recruitment.
According to the Minister of the Presidency, the executive approved the simplifying the opening of courses for bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education and teaching, as well as recognition of candidates’ prior training.
“A doctor in Chemistry does not have to, during his master’s degree process for teaching, take courses in Chemistry again”, explained Antonio Leitão Amaro.
It is also planned to grant incentives to supervisors, either through a reduction in teaching load or a supplement of up to 1,070 euros for taking on this role, said Antonio Leitão Amaro.
Another of the measures involves the allocation of a scholarship of 3,600 for master’s students, said the government official, considering that, with this, the Government intends that “they do not stop being students in education and teaching due to lack of resources”.
“This is an important investment in accelerate training. In order to have more teachers, it was necessary to value their careers, but also to improve their attractiveness and ease in order to be able to carry out initial and ongoing training for teachers”, highlighted the minister.
Leitão Amaro also announced that the Government has decided to renew partnerships with higher education institutions in the United States until 2030, such as the universities of Carnegie Mellon, Berkeley, Austin and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
