Público, July 30th, 2011
After the formation of new Portuguese government and approaching of the next school year, the country still do not know if the 1st cycle students will continue to have access to Magalhães computers, distributed for free or at reduced cost.
According to the newspaper Público, the Ministry of Education and Science would not clarify whether to continue with the distribution of Magalhães computers in primary schools, but merely to say that “these issues are still being evaluated”.
On the other hand, administration of JP Sá Couto said to the newspaper that there are still computers resulting from the previous public tender, in which 250 000 were awarded to distribute to 1st cycle students. But according to the report, neither the government nor JP Sá Couto revealed how many computers were delivered in the last school year.
The article also recalls that the current education minister, Nuno Crato, proved not to be “very favorable to the introduction of computers in schools”, before taking office, citing a publication of the Express in 2007, where Crato reveals that “it is good to use computers, but it is dangerous to dazzle with and think that they will solve the basic problems of education”.
Source: Público
