The Minister of Education, Science and Innovation, Fernando Alexandre, said this Wednesday in Maputo that he is optimistic about the negotiation process to restore frozen working hours for teachers, awaiting meetings with unions on Monday.
“I think there is reason to be optimistic. The unions recognized that in many aspects we met expectations,” said the official, whom Lusa questioned on the sidelines of the Third Meeting of Portuguese Schools Abroad, which took place in Maputo.
The minister had already said on May 3 that he was willing to make “some adjustments” to the proposal he presented to unions to reinstate teachers’ frozen working hours.
“We are open to improving our response to better meet the needs of teachers and the education system,” Fernando Alexandre said in a statement to reporters that day at the end of the first round of negotiations with the 12 unions representing teachers.
Earlier, the unions learned about the proposal of the executive, which wants to gradually return six years, six months and 23 days of frozen time at an annual average of 20%, starting in September this year.
All unions called for a faster recovery, for teachers on the verge of retirement not to be forgotten, and for the executive branch to abandon the idea of revoking diplomas (Decree-Law 74), which implemented mechanisms to accelerate career growth.
“We are open to making some adjustments to the proposal we have made now,” Fernando Alexandre said at the end of the May 3 meeting.
The ministry’s next negotiating meeting with teachers’ unions is scheduled for Monday, May 13.