Ministry closes school in Matosinhos

An order from the Secretary of State for Education, Susana Amador, determined the compulsory closure of the Euro-Atlântico school, in São Mamede de Infesta, Matosinhos.

The decision of the governor, dated last May 6, follows a report by the General Inspection of Education and Science (IGEC), which accuses the establishment of operating without the necessary authorization. The closure was determined for the end of this school year.

Questioned by JN, the school’s principal entity, located in Rua do Tronco, ensured the legality of the project and underlined that “the school community is united and will react by legal means to allow [o estabelecimento] continue to work with all conditions “.

According to the order of the Secretary of State for Education, “the compulsory closure of the educational establishment ‘Colégio Euro-Atlântico’ was declared”, a decision taken because it is “developing the activity without having previously obtained the operating authorization”. At issue will be problems related to land ownership where the school is installed, which prevents the Câmara de Matosinhos from giving the license.

According to Susana Amador’s order, the school is prevented from “accepting enrollment of children for pre-school education” and “enrollment of students for primary and secondary education” for the next school year. It will be up to DGEstE “to follow the procedures” and, if necessary, to take the appropriate measures, in order to ensure that all students will have “guaranteed”, at the beginning of the next school year, “attendance at educational institutions, public or private” .

“Shocked”

To JN, António Moreira, representative of the school’s governing body, said he was “shocked” by the fact that the order was made public without the establishment’s representatives having been “formally notified” and assured that “the educational community is united and with willingness to defend the school, reacting by legal means, to allow it to continue to function under all conditions “.

As for the lack of licensing, António Moreira said that “the permit exists and the Ministry of Education has had three requests, from 1998 to date, to transmit that permit”. “Since January 2010, we have confirmed that the permit application made in the previous year was authorized“, he finished.

Guardianship ensures a place in public school

“Following an inspection action and the verification of the lack of authorization to operate, the private and cooperative educational establishment Colégio Euro-Atlântico, in Matosinhos, will close from the end of the academic year 2019/2020”, explained the Ministry of Education.

To the JN, the tutelage said that “students who attended the said educational establishment may renew their enrollment in public or private educational establishments, depending on the option of those in charge of education”. These procedures will be accompanied by guardianship, which should guarantee “a place in public schools”.

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