The Regional Secretary for Education and Culture stated in Angra do Heroísmo that the strike called by the Teachers' Democratic Union of the Azores (SDPA) registered a "low adherence."
Questioned by journalists about the balance of this three-day strike, Avelino Meneses assured that "all" 40 school establishments of the regional education system "are in operation." Today, only one elementary school closed on Terceira Island.
According to the Secretary for Education, the strike registered an adherence of 13% on the first day, 10.4% on the second day and 8.7% today, according to the data released at the end of the morning.
Avelino Meneses spoke at the end of a hearing at the Committee on Social Affairs of the Legislative Assembly. "Whenever" a permanent need of the regional education system is being fulfilled by a hired teacher we will open a vacancy."
"Otherwise, we will not open it," added the government official.
For the Regional Secretary, this is "the best way" to manage personnel as it provides schools with the necessary human resources and avoids "the scourge of zero-hour contracts."
Avelino Meneses also reiterated that the Government of the Azores has complied with the European Union directive on the integration of hired teachers into the regional teaching staff, having opened three special applications.