MP Aurelio Freitas Ribeiro said based on his observations of the work undertaken during the one year in office of the fifth Constitutional Government, the Education Sector has been moving backwards compared to achievements in the sector during the previous government’s mandate.
MP Ribeiro offered as an example the execution of the budget allocated to the School Lunch Program for 2013; despite funds to run the program for a whole year the program was only implemented for 44 days.
“The management is inadequate. We did not execute what we planned,” said the MP.
He added the state budget allocation to the Ministry of Education was not enough as well.
The MP also questioned teacher training from the districts in 2013 and the over the top accommodation costs incurred.
“I doubt there is a balance between the expenses incurred and the benefits [of the training].”
He urged the Ministry of Education to design clear plans to solve these problems in the education sector rather than just waste money.
Meanwhile MP Bendita Moniz Magno, from Commission F (Education, Health, Veteran Affairs, Culture and Gender Equality), said she is aware the education sector faces many challenges that need to be addressed but these need to be taken step by step.
“We cannot make miracles and solve all the challenges we face today. There are many schools still lacking desks and chairs,” said MP Magno.
According to the MP the challenges afflicting the education sector are never resolved due to inadequate systems.
She added the poor implementation of the School Lunch Program in 2013 was due to the late approval of the 2013 State Budget.
“Now that we are in 2014 we should be evaluating what we did right and wrong in 2013.”
MP Magno urged the Ministry of Education to fix the infrastructure and school curriculum problems plaguing schools across the country.
The Deputy Minister of Education for Basic School, Dulce de Jesus Soares, said in reference to the concerns raised by the MP’s that she already had a meeting with the school directors of basic schools from the 13 districts to discuss with them how they can work harder at resolving existing problems.
“I know we are often criticized, but it take these as constructive criticism so we can keep on improving,” said Deputy Minister Soares.
