Speech for the debate with the Minister of Education for the first Session of October

Speech for the debate with the Minister of Education for the first Session of October

Mr President of the National Assembly

Minister of Education

Ladies and Gentlemen, Members of the Government

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Nation

Dear Cape Verdeans

It is with great satisfaction and enthusiasm that I address all Cape Verdeans, in this debate with the Minister of Education of Cape Verde, to firstly wish all teachers, students, parents in charge of education and the entire educational community an excellent academic year 2023/2024. May this be a year of learning, growth and achievements for everyone .

I also want to take this opportunity on behalf of our bench to congratulate the Government of Cape Verde, led by Ulisses Correia e Silva, for seven years of achievements in the area of education. The excellent education and training of Cape Verdeans contributes to improving Cape Verde's competitiveness, productivity and sustainable development.

This government's firm commitment to promoting excellent education is evident and this deserves our recognition. The achievements are a source of pride for the country and demonstrate the best for our young people .

In this debate about one of the fundamental pillars of any society that wants to be developed and sustainable, which is EDUCATION, I would like to highlight the reinforcement of school Social Action and its impact on reducing school dropouts and increasing academic success. It is essential to ensure that no student is left behind due to financial difficulties, and Social Action policies have played a vital role in this regard .

Mr President of the National Assembly

Under the motto “Resilience and confidence for quality education ”, the new academic year 2023/2024 began on September 18th, throughout the national territory, within a framework of stability and normal functioning of schools and the educational system , with around 130,000 students and 6,500 primary and secondary education teachers, with the prospect of hiring another 240 new teachers to fill vacancies arising from retirement, unpaid leave and other departures.

One of the significant changes for the new year is the experimental implementation of the new 11th grade programs.

In terms of major measures for the 2023/2024 school year, we highlight some actions aimed at strengthening the education sector:

• Continuity of curricular reform for secondary education (general and technical), with a focus on strengthening the teaching of science, languages (national language and foreign languages) and digital technologies;

• Creation of institutional conditions for the restructuring of pre-school education, in conjunction with municipal councils;

• Implementation of the integrated national system of continuous and initial training for teachers, trainers and all educational agents;

• Implementation of adult education and professional training policies, aiming at social inclusion, poverty reduction and the promotion of self-employment and entrepreneurship;

• Continued improvement of educational infrastructures at all levels of education;

• Holding the 2nd edition of the School Sports Olympics in 2024 and promoting cultural activities involving teachers and the entire educational community.

As our illustrious Minister of Education rightly said at the opening of the new academic year, “ the year that begins will be one of continuity and reinforcement of mutual trust, as education is the cause that unites the nation that is at its heart of Cape Verdeans, as a means and factor of social stability and human qualification for the economic, scientific and cultural development of the country ”.

Mr President of the National Assembly

The Government has made substantial investments in education, in the 2015 budget for 2023 we had an increase of around 11% in the budget allocated to the sector . To prepare for this school year, it prioritized investments in educational infrastructure, allocating more than 120 thousand contos in rehabilitation, maintenance and expansion works of over 50 schools across the country. This Government has already invested more than 1 million and 200 thousand contos to build and rehabilitate school infrastructures.

The universalization of pre-school education through subsidies for the poorest families, basic and secondary education and the free registration and attendance of people with disabilities at all levels of education, including higher education, are inclusive measures that should be applauded for all. They ensure that all children have equal access to education, regardless of their circumstances .

The reinforcement of School Social Action carried out by this Government through FICASE programs contributed to the significant improvement of the teaching and learning process in schools. For the year 2023/2024, the School Food and Health Program is benefiting around 90,725 students, with improvements to the menu, with the introduction of 4 more basic foods, bringing coverage to 100% of EBO students.

In the scope of school transport , we already have a partnership signed with 18 Municipal Councils, benefiting 7,640 students, which represents an investment of 70 thousand contos in this new academic year.

In relation to school kits made up of backpacks, notebooks, school manuals and coats, they have already been sent to all municipalities in the country, benefiting around 30,000 students.

The availability of school manuals from the 1st year to the 9th year on digital platforms is an important step towards the modernization of education. This not only facilitates access to study material but also prepares our students for the ever-evolving digital world.

The implementation of educational reform with a focus on strengthening languages and the digital transition of the national education system is a vision that reflects the need to prepare our young people for the challenges of the 21st century. Mastery of languages and the ability to use technology are essential skills for success in today's world .

Furthermore, we share the ambition of the Government of Cape Verde led by Ulisses Correia e Silva and supported by the MpD bench to achieve new achievements, such as increasing the schooling rate to 89%, reducing school dropouts and increasing the rate of approval. These are worthy goals that, when achieved, will further strengthen Cape Verde's education system .

Mr President of the National Assembly

We are facing an important moment for education in Cape Verde. We have much to celebrate in terms of past achievements, but also a promising path ahead. Let's work together, students, teachers, the educational community, government and civil society, to ensure that our young people receive the quality education they deserve.

In this debate, we hope that all parliamentary subjects will collaborate in the continuous search for solutions to the challenges we face. Together, we can ensure that education continues to be a top priority in Cape Verde and that our young people have all the opportunities they deserve.

We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to education and building a better future for all Cape Verdeans .

And I end like this:

New School Year,

New achievements to celebrate!

Thank you very much!

Fernanda Burgo

Vice President of the GPMPD Board of Directors