Regional Government streamlines curriculum management in basic education and creates higher education admission award
The Regional Government will move forward with proposals to streamline teaching in preschool and elementary school levels as well as to create na award for the admission of Azorean students in higher education, as announced by the Regional Assistant Secretary for the Presidency for Parliamentary Affairs on Corvo.
Berto Messias spoke at the presentation of the Press Release from the Council of the Government that met on this island in the context of the statutory visit. On the occasion, he pointed out that the proposal for introducing changes to curriculum management in basic education will cover preschool, elementary school, middle school and junior high school. It is intended to reinforce "curriculum autonomy and flexibility" by providing schools with the possibility of "organising themselves according to their priorities" in view of achieving "educational success."
Under this new model, schools will have the autonomy to "allocate more weekly time to one subject over another" within a 25% limit of flexibility, the government official stated, adding that the new framework gives schools the possibility of "organising subjects by term or semester."
According to Berto Messias, this measure aims "to promote inter and transdisciplinary work, to search for educational dynamics in the context of classroom work" as well as "to intensify the development of project, laboratory and field work," which will contribute to "a more practical teaching."
The government official stressed "the emphasis given to the area of Citizenship and the reintroduction of Information and Communication Technologies as a subject in all basic education levels with specific teaching hours; it will be taught across all courses in the elementary school level. Additionally, the subject of History, Culture and Geography of the Azores will be taught from the 5th to the 9th form and, in this regard, "school may opt for teaching contents along with other courses or teach them as an autonomous subject of their curriculum."
According to Berto Messias, another advantage of this new model concerns the introduction of Integrated Study, an area devoted to "teaching students to study and to learn."
Also regarding Education, the Regional Government will create a "Higher Education Admission Award" for young Azoreans amounting to 500 Euros.
The Regional Secretary pointed out that the measure aims to "support the financial effort of Azorean families to meet higher education costs." It is an "incentive to the entry of young people into this level of education, thus acknowledging the importance of training and its positive impact on the future of the Region's economic and social development."
With regard to fuels, the Regional Government has decided to adopt a resolution "ensuring that no changes in fuel tax will occur throughout the year and defining a tax differential on fuels in the Azores over Mainland Portugal." According to Berto Messias, this measure guarantee the "predictability, stability, a lower maximum sales price and a lower tax burden in the Azores."
Moreover, Regional Government has decided to extend the "I Undertake My Business" measure until the end of 2020 as well as to create the "I Undertake my Business" prize.
The Government will also support the participation of Fonte do Bastardo Youth Association in the CEV Volleyball Challenge Cup Men in 2018/2019 sports season and to introduce changes to the organisation of the Institute of Food and Agricultural Markets (IAMA).