The Ministry of Education estimates that social security costs around eight million euros to support the incomes of teachers working in schools more than 70 kilometers from home.
The measure is included in the 2024 government budget proposal (OE2024), which envisages adapting an income support program to subsidize teachers more than 70 kilometers from home in schools in the Lisbon and Vale do Tejo and Algarve regions. .
Lusa, the Minister of Education, heard this Friday at the joint hearing of the parliamentary committees on Budget and Finance and Education and Science as part of the specialized assessment of OE2024, said that it is planned to allocate budgetary allocations of about eight million euros for this purpose.
The support will be paid to teachers through the social security system, as João Costa explained during the first round of hearings in response to deputy Pedro Filipe Soares of the Esquerda Bloc, thus justifying the fact that the amount is not specified in the explanatory note. Note OE2024 for Education.
It is intended for all teachers whose living expenses exceed the 35% effort standard and represents one of the Ministry of Education’s responses to teacher shortages, especially in Lisbon, the Tagus Valley and the Algarve.
This restriction to these two regions was criticized by Social Democratic MP António Cunha, who warned that many teachers, also stationed far from home but in schools in other regions, were excluded. João Costa responded that support is provided to those located “where the cost of housing is higher.”
The explanatory note published on the eve of the minister’s hearing, on the other hand, speaks of a budget of 52 million euros as part of the “Public Housing Park at Affordable Prices” project, financed by the Recovery and Resilience Plan.
The project, which does not concern the support of dismissed teachers, is included in the education budget through Parque Escolar, which will begin the construction of public housing and has been under joint control with the Ministry of Housing since March, explained Minister Luse.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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