Hire retired teachers and increase overtime: Learn about the government’s education response

The government presented this Friday’s education plan: “Program more classes, more success.” The plan consists of measures aimed at combating the shortcomings of the system, namely “putting an end to long periods of absence from classes.” Education Minister Fernando Alexandre emphasized that in September 2023 of the current academic year, about 300 thousand students were left without classes in at least one subject.

The problem has been decreasing throughout the year, but continued to affect more than 22,000 students in May last year.

“Program more activities, more success” – Find out the measures:

– Increase the limit to 10 extra hours per week allocated to each teacher. The program provides for another 30 thousand overtime hours in designated groups and schools;
– Drawing up timetables to avoid duplication of critical subjects so that teacher absences can be compensated;
– Allow faster selection of candidates during the academic year;
– Allow aggregation of schedules into the same or another group different from the one where the teacher is located. The measure applies to teachers with a part-time schedule;
– extend from 3 months to 1 year the period for replacing teachers whose medical commission has determined that they are unable to perform their duties during the academic year;
– Attract retired teachers from shortage groups with payment of due compensation according to indicator 167;
– Reduce the total number of mobility allocated to enrollment groups with a deficit in relation to the 2023/2024 academic year;
– Additional remuneration of up to 750 euros gross per month for those who want to reach retirement age and continue teaching;
– Information campaign to encourage teachers to return to the profession;
– Interprofessional mobility scheme in public administration with career repositioning – return of 500 teachers;
– Simplify the procedures leading to the recognition of teaching qualifications and the integration of immigrant teachers into the Portuguese education system, providing for the recruitment of 200 new teachers;
– 2,000 annual scholarships for students pursuing bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education/teaching sciences;

Environment, water and drought were also topics of discussion at the Council of Ministers this Friday. Presidential Minister António Leitan Amaro began by talking about the drought in the Algarve, indicating that it will be necessary to ease some restrictions on different types of water consumption.

António Leitán Amaro guaranteed that “there will be enough water for human consumption for a year, even if not a drop of rain falls that year.” The government has announced €103 million in investment to mitigate the effects of the drought experienced in the Algarve, including investment in the city network to reduce significant losses. The press conference also highlighted the importance of using hydrographic waters for the agricultural sector, as well as investing in wastewater treatment.

The government official said there were three groups of measures: easing restrictions, new investments to increase water availability and accelerating critical investments under the Recovery and Resilience Plan.

The President’s Minister has announced a 40% increase in the number of vacancies for new professionals to join the Algarve National Health Service in a bid to attract and retain professionals in the region.