19 million-Euro investment in Arrifes Basic Education School confirms goal of "providing the Region with good school infrastructures," says José Manuel Bolieiro
19 million-Euro investment in Arrifes Basic Education School confirms goal of "providing the Region with good school infrastructures," says José Manuel Bolieiro
Ponta Delgada
Presidência do Governo Regional
The President of the Regional Government, José Manuel Bolieiro, accompanied by the Regional Secretary for Education, Culture and Sport, Sofia Ribeiro, and the Regional Secretary for Tourism, Mobility and Infrastructures, Berta Cabral, opened today the refurbishment and upgrading works of the middle and junior high school facilities of Arrifes Basic Education School, on São Miguel Island, marking the beginning of the school year.
"This was a long-standing ambition that has now finally been fulfilled. The determination of this Government has brought to fruition an old ambition for the residents of Arrifes and this educational community, which is pleased, as pleased as I am," recalled José Manuel Bolieiro.
He added: "I was here laying the foundation stone in 2021 and now I am truly pleased that we are opening this building, sharing with the entire educational community the joy of looking to the near future with new hope."
This work is part of other projects implemented by the Regional Government to " provide the Region with good school infrastructures."
The Regional Government invested 19 million Euros in it, resulting in a school consisting of a new building with an implementation area of approximately 3,500 m². The building has three floors that house all the school's activities, with the exception of sports, which corresponds to 10,000 m2 of gross building area.
"We are promoting motivated and stable teachers as well as the students‘ ability and motivation to learn, and the motivation of all the school staff to carry on with their mission," stressed José Manuel Bolieiro.
In addition to being dedicated to students, this infrastructure serves the youth community of the parish of Arrifes and the municipality of Ponta Delgada.
The building consists of 26 classrooms, 12 group classrooms, two multifunctional visual arts and technology education classrooms with workshops and storage rooms, two multifunctional technology education classrooms with workshops and storage rooms, a physical/chemistry laboratory, two nature science laboratories, two music classrooms and four IT classrooms, among other offices, sports spaces and leisure areas.
The new school building is designed to accommodate 750 students, spread across the middle and junior high school levels, and special education.
The President of the Regional Government took the opportunity to recall the good results achieved in the national exams and tests, in a year when Azorean students averaged better than Mainland Portugal students, in general, in 10 subjects, with the results in Portuguese and Maths A standing out.
In the year when the Azores reached an all-time low in the rate of early dropout from education and training, which stood at 27%, this year it was at 21.7%.
"What we have done is significant and transformative. We are better than we have ever been. This is an undeniable achievement," said José Manuel Bolieiro.
He added that the ambition of the Regional Government has always focused on education as a "major priority," a "real social lever for the development of the Azores."
The Regional Government has been committed to "valuing teachers," namely their careers, the development of their professional dignity, better pay and a stable employment situation."
On the sidelines of the visit, the President of the Arrifes Basic Education School Board, Isolina Medeiros, highlighted this moment as "a day of great joy" for everyone.
