The Regional Secretary for Education and Training stressed that changing the rules of the teaching application is a measure that aims to achieve the stability of the teaching staff of regional schools for a period of four years, either in terms of the teachers attached to the school staff, who cannot request mobility through internal application, or in terms of the admissions via the external application."

Answering to the questions posed by the opposition during a debate on the proposed amendment to this legislation, Cláudia Cardoso recalled the current stability of the regional teaching staff and the fact that hired teachers are currently employed as "they meet temporary needs."

The Regional Secretary for Education and Training pointed out that there are "several teachers who are currently performing other official duties outside the system. When these teachers return, the legal statute provides that their positions must be assured"; hence, it is not possible to "integrate teachers into the regional education system indefinitely as such "would hamper the return of those teachers" and "create a surplus of teachers at schools." Furthermore, the projections are pointing to a sharp decline in the number of students.

In fact, Cláudia Cardoso reminded regional MPs that there was decrease of about 2600 students in the Region last year; this drop was higher than 1000 students on the island of São Miguel.

In addition to these reasons, the Regional Secretary warned MPs for "the financial implications of these annual applications." Although "the application form is filled in and validated online, it is always ratified and checked" by a team of professionals exclusively dedicated to these matters, which does not happen, for example, in the national application.

The Regional Secretary for Education also stressed that the regional teaching staff has been stabilised a few years ago due to the existence of regional priorities and mentioned the example of Flores, where the fluctuation of the teaching staff was about 70% in the school year 2000/2001.

For Cláudia Cardoso, "the major goal of regional priorities upon their implementation has already been accomplished"; the regional teaching staff has been stabilised, although it is "too early to eliminate them or to dismiss their relevance as it would be detrimental to the teachers who have applied under regional priorities and who are benefiting from this measure."

 According to the government official, priorities were established "to ensure that teachers would be attached to the school staff for a longer period" and this goal continues to be achieved.
However, this fact does not prevent the opening of the application every four years.

Regarding the proposal presented by PCP (communist party) which intends to reduce the number of students per teacher to 20, Cláudia Cardoso said that the Government considers that our situation is stable and meets our needs." Hence, the Regional Secretariat cannot "afford to have a surplus of teachers at schools; this is a consequence of this proposal: we would have a number of teachers at schools that does not correspond to the actual needs of schools."

The Regional Secretary pointed out that the 24 students per class rule was not introduced now since it already "exists in application rules as well as in the national legislation on this matter."

Whilst in Preschool the ratio of students per class is 20 students and 25 in other teaching levels, in the Azores these figure are below national average in all teaching levels, mentioned the government official.

Currently, the ratio stands at 18.6 students per class, which is "far below the minimum number of students in Preschool level," the Regional Secretary said, concluding that "we have an excellent ratio per class in the Region."

In addition, the government official reminded the existing studies: "in terms of educational success, the number of students per class does not mean anything; otherwise smaller islands and municipalities would have excellent results in terms of educational success" as opposed to what happens in some cases.