Parents of the Basic School of Alto Rhodes, from Faro, who, together with the parents of the Basic School of Carmo, saw an inspection determine a change in timetables, about a month after the start of the school year, are trying by all means to stop the entry into force of the new times of classes.
This situation of the two schools with double timetable in the municipality of Faro, both from the Afonso III Schools Group, is in everything similar to what happened in Olhão, at school nº5 of the Paula Nogueira Group, with the exception of the direction of the Farense Group having agreed to postpone the introduction of the new timetable, which was to have been implemented this Monday, until a later date, not yet defined.
A postponement that will serve to evaluate the arguments presented by the parents. And there are several reasons given by the guardians, who cite the law to contest the measure.
The "strongest" is the possibility foreseen in the legislation for a timetable of up to a minimum of 22,5 hours to be implemented, instead of the 25 hours a week, the goal that the two schools in Faro and the establishment in Olhão are now obliged to meet. This flexibility, defend the parents, is foreseen precisely to face "the exceptional regime that is the double schedule", a modality that is only allowed, by law, in cases of greater need.
“Children are subject to an exceptional regime, that of double timetable (two shifts per school, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon). It should not apply a measure made for those who are on a normal basis, who come in the morning, have an hour for lunch and return to classes in the afternoon», he considered to Sul Informação President of the Executive Council of the Association of Parents and Guardians of EB1 Alto Rodes Paula Coutinho.
“It doesn't make sense for our children to be subjected to another half hour of classes and, on top of that, to reduce ten minutes of breaks a day. There is no child who maintains concentration studying mathematics until 18:40», especially when subjected to such an intense schedule, he defended.
Parental arguments do not stop there. Another central issue is the fact that the school changes the timetable after the school year has started, when the law stipulates that it must be disclosed to parents upon registration.
A determination of the law that has a lot of reason to be, in the parents' view, since, by this time, the parallel activities of their children are already defined. The Association of Parents recalled "the damage that such a situation will cause for families who, based on the information about the timetable, which was communicated to them at the time of registration, enrolled their children in sporting, cultural or other activities."
The parents of the two schools of Faro and the school in Olhão have already met, to make joint efforts, to raise awareness of finding a solution to this situation. The case could even be taken to court, with the parents receiving assurances from jurists that the decision would most likely be favorable to them, but this would only come "at the end of the school year", which makes this means of struggle "possible, but not effective», according to Paula Coutinho.
Thus, other forms of struggle are reserved, including strikes and protests at schools, in case it is not possible to «sensitize the responsible entities», the path that is now being followed.
The parents admit going "to the last consequences", but add that it is necessary, above all, to look after the children's well-being, so the measures will never be "radical".
Regional Education Delegate takes case to Lisbon
Parents affected by this measure have made several efforts to reverse the change in schedules.
This Monday, the parents of the students at the Alto Rhodes school spoke with the regional delegate for Education Alberto Almeida, who told them that he “does not have the power to reverse the situation”, but that he “promised that he would present the matter to the Director General of Education”, with whom he will meet today, in Lisbon.
Another attempt to avoid the consummation of the new schedules (in the case of Olhão, the reversal, since they are already in force) are the exhibitions made to the General Inspectorate of Education and Science, which determined the changes and to other entities.
Parents of Faro they also sent "communications to the Secretary of State for Education, to all parliamentary groups and to the Ombudsman", according to Paula Coutinho.
Later this week, there will be a meeting between the guardians and the local authority. In Olhão, the parents have also met with the Chamber, which showed itself willing to create more space in the school, through the placement of temporary structures or to extend the school year, to dilute in time the increase in the workload required by the inspection.
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