The Regional Secretary for Education and Culture stated at the Legislative Assembly that the dropout rate in regular education in the Azores registered over the last seven years, despite fluctuations in some levels of education, is "residual, standing at about 0.5 percentage points." 

"Since 1991, we have been the national region that has seen the greatest reduction in the number of individuals who have not completed compulsory schooling," stressed Avelino Meneses. The government official spoke Wednesday, by video conference, at the debate of an initiative presented by the Socialist Party with the aim of reinforcing the fight against school dropout in times of pandemic. 

Although starting from "a position of greater disadvantage," with a dropout rate 6% higher than Madeira and 4.5% higher than Mainland Portugal, the Azores are now "aligned with the national average, standing at 0.09 from Madeira and 0.9 from Mainland Portugal," added the Regional Secretary. 

Under these circumstances, "the goal towards a zero school dropout" rate is a feasible target," stressed Avelino Meneses. 

With regard to early school dropout, the Secretary for Education highlighted the "remarkable" recovery that has been achieved. 

In fact, we have managed to lower the school dropout rate from 28.8% in 2015 to 27%. 

Avelino Meneses also stated that during this pandemic, which led to the closure of school establishments, the school could not "disregard its educational and social mission," as evidenced, on the one hand, by "the development of a distance learning system," and, on the other hand, by "the protection of students as a complement to the role of families and the community." 

Accordingly, the prevention of school dropout is in the Azores "a priority that fulfils the right to education as established in the Constitution."