The President of the Government of the Azores announced today a series of measures intended to combat school failure and early dropout, this being one of the main challenges that the regional education system faces. These measures will comprise a Regional Plan containing projects specifically created for this purpose.

"The Regional Plan for the Promotion of School Success will be created after hearing all parties involved in the education system and will include a Scientific Commission of recognised competence. It will guide the hardest challenge we face in the education system: fighting school failure and early school dropout," said Vasco Cordeiro.

Speaking at the opening of the renewal works of Horta Basic Education School, an investment over 8.3 million Euros, the President of the Government added that this Plan will congregate ongoing projects and others to be created and implemented in Azorean schools.

After pointing out that the acquisition of skills in Portuguese and Math are critical to the development of other skills, Vasco Cordeiro added that all middle and junior high schools will have an additional hour credit in the new school year.

"With this measure, each class now has an additional hour credit of 90 minutes per week, which will be divided between the subjects of Portuguese and Math," the President of the Government added, highlighting that Azorean junior high school students will benefit from an additional weekly class. Indeed, they will have six weekly hours for each subject (Portuguese and Math) while students in the rest of the country only have five weekly hours.

In his speech, Vasco Cordeiro stressed that the reinforcement of Portuguese and Math skills in elementary school is focused on teachers, through the Training and Educational Supervision Programme for elementary school teachers, which was implemented in the previous school year. The Government has decided to maintain it this year.

The President of the Government also announced the creation of a team of school mediators. The team will help students with unsuccessful educational paths and who are at risk of dropout "to tackle the negative impact on self-esteem and self-belief, discover areas of interest, manage study time, and develop persistence and autonomy. These skills will help these students to complete their education with the desired success."

Eight Azorean schools will implement this project, which is directed to the development of non-cognitive skills. Nevertheless, they are critical for the school success youngsters at risk of school failure.
In order to further tackle school failure, the Government has decided to extend the "Fénix" project to 18 school establishments. There is an increase from 26 projects developed in 2013/2014 to a total of 37 projects to be developed this year, through its extension to various school levels.
 
Under the diversification of training options, Vasco Cordeiro announced the implementation of vocational training courses in middle and junior high school level. In addition to completing a school level, students will also have the opportunity to contact with three different vocational training activities for a future integration into the labour market. There will be also moments of simulated practice, preferably in business context.

"As we intend to reinforce these courses in order to enhance the development of behavioural, social and professional guidance skills, we have introduced a personal and social component as well as school mediation; the latter being a novelty compared to the guidelines adopted nationally," stressed Vasco Cordeiro.

After highlighting the central role of Education in the development strategy for the Azores, the President of the Government noted that one can only assess the quality of the responses provided by Special Education services in each school as well as Educational Support and "Oportunidade" programme.

In this context, a technical team from the Regional Directorate for Education visited 19 school establishments in 2013/2014 with the aim of monitoring the organisation and operation of Special Education, Educational Support and the "Oportunidade" programme. The President of the Government reminded that the same actions will be carried out in remaining schools throughout the new school year.

In his speech, Vasco Cordeiro defended the forging of an "alliance between all concerned parties," from students to families and teachers, with the aim of creating the conditions for school success.

"They begin at the home of each Azorean family, where education and the creation of conditions for the success of students are a right and duty of parents," said the President of the Government.

"On its part, the Government is working to create the conditions to ensure the success and the full awareness of the importance of Education in our collective future," assured Vasco Cordeiro.
 
Regarding the diversification of the training offer provided by secondary schools in terms of vocational training courses, the Government has carried out a "massive effort" to provide schools with adequate means, which are always in line with the rational management of the available resources.

"In addition to the scientific-humanistic courses for the continuation of studies, there are currently 107 courses provided by vocational training schools, 35 of which are open for the first time," revealed the President of the Government.

On the eve of the beginning of the school year, Vasco Cordeiro added all the teaching application procedures for the school year 2014/2015 are proceeding as planned in order to ensure that regional public schools have the necessary human resources for their regular operation.

This school year, there are 4,700 teachers, supported by approximately 2,300 employees working in over 175 regional public schools, who will dedicate themselves to the education of almost 41 thousand Azorean children and youngsters.