Bravanews remembers the role of Amândio Brito, the Education Delegate who fought for the implementation of secondary education on Ilha Brava

Amândio Brito's history on Brava began long before ESET was founded. Born on the island of Santiago, he arrived on the island of Flores at the end of the 1980s and began his career as a teacher. This first contact with the reality of Brava allowed him to get a close feel for the needs and aspirations of the community, particularly the lack of a secondary education cycle that would allow young people to continue their academic training.

In the early 1990s, Amândio Brito was appointed Brava's Ministry of Education Delegate, a position that gave him the institutional leverage he needed to advocate and actively work for the creation of the Secondary School. It was in this role that he was at the forefront of the efforts, which involved negotiations with the Central Government, mobilizing resources and coordinating all the logistics needed so that, in 1995, ESET would finally open its doors.

Bravanews stresses that the implementation of secondary education was not an easy process. It required persistence, the ability to overcome bureaucratic obstacles and a deep personal commitment from Amândio Brito, who understood that education was the key to the island's development. His work as Delegate, a position he held for a long time, enabled him to monitor and guarantee the consolidation of the school and the continuous improvement of the quality of teaching on Brava.

Amândio Brito's efforts to bring secondary education to Brava are now recognized as one of his greatest contributions to the island. ESET has transformed the local reality, offering opportunities that previously only existed on the mainland or other islands.

Amândio Brito's vision was clear: Brava needed to retain its youth and equip them with the necessary tools for life and development. The success of the Eugénio Tavares Secondary School over these three decades is, to a large extent, a tribute to his tireless dedication as Delegate. He was a bridge-builder between community aspiration and government action.

Today, as Mayor, Amândio Brito continues to serve the island, in a new strand of political and administrative leadership, keeping his focus on development. However, his history on Brava will always be remembered for his fundamental role in the implementation of ESET, guaranteeing a more promising and educated future for the generations that followed. The 30th anniversary celebrations are therefore a moment of just recognition for Amândio Brito's career and legacy.