The Regional Secretary for Education and Training was heard on Friday by Standing Commission on Social Affairs of the Regional Assembly on the availability of textbooks free of charge and the hiring of a psychologist for Mouzinho da Silveira Basic Education School on the island of Corvo.
The first case concerns a legislative proposal submitted by the Communist Party which Cláudia Cardoso considers that has no grounds as the Government has been developing "solid" school welfare policies for needy students that include the loan of books. Furthermore, "a Regional Legislative Decree that puts into practice the principles of schoolbook loan has been recently approved."
According to the government official, "it makes no sense to simultaneously create another system." What is important is to implement the recently approved loan system "which we have started to do."
With regard to the hiring of a school psychologist on Corvo, which has been proposed by Partido Popular Monárquico (People's Monarchist Party), Cláudia Cardoso said that it is not necessary due to the size of the school population.
The Government defends the maintenance of the current support model, according to which psychology services at Corvo School are provided by the psychologist assigned for Flores School whenever necessary." Nevertheless, some improvements might be made to the system in force.