Lubango – One hundred and 65 thousand 686 students registered in 269 first cycle schools in the provinces of Huíla, Luanda, Bengo, Cuanzas Norte and Sul, Cunene, Lunda Norte and Malanje will benefit, from May this year, from the first phase of 900,000 internal scholarships made available by the Ministry of Education (MED), in the country.
This is the expansion of a social project within the Technical Management Unit of the (MED), through the second phase of the Learning Program for All (PAT-2) which covers students in the 7th, 8th and 9th classes of regular secondary education, which aims to reduce school dropout rates, as well as increase the retention rate of students in schools, until they complete the first cycle of secondary education.
Of this number, 5,732 students were enrolled in Huíla, studying in 32 schools in the municipalities of Chibia, Matala, Humpata and Quipungo.
Speaking during the opening act of the training aimed at Education staff to present the project, the technician from the Studies and Statistics office of the Ministry of Education Office (MED), Martins Raimundo, made it known that each student will receive a monetary amount of 35 thousand kwanzas per month.
He assured that the values will be able to minimize the difficulties they face, that is, in the purchase of school materials, among other supports to contribute to the improvement and quality of the teaching and learning process.
He detailed that in the province of Luanda, the municipalities of Kilamba Kiaxi and Icolo and Bengo and Viana were included, covering 85 schools where 52,574 students’ study, while in Bengo, Dande and Ambriz were selected, where 33 schools are registered for 13 thousand 218 students.
In Cuanza Norte, the municipality of Cazengo is included in the program, covering 17 schools where 14 thousand 223 students are covered.
In Cuanza Sul, the municipality of Seles is affected with a total of nine thousand 193 students, while in Cunene the municipalities of Cuanhama, Curoca, Cuvelai, Namacunde, Ombanjda and Cahama are affected, whose beneficiaries are 233,467 students from 59 schools.
In Lunda Norte, according to the source, the project includes 21 schools in the municipality of Chitato, for a total of 19 thousand 194 students and in Malanje 15 schools were chosen, for 10,836 students.
He highlighted that the implementation of internal scholarships in registered schools will empower young Angolans, especially girls, and improve the quality of learning for all, in addition to increasing the number of students who complete secondary education with integrated life skills.
In turn, the head of the science and technology department of the provincial Education office in Huíla, Beneficio Puna, considered that the scholarships constitute an added value, as they declare the objectives of academic and professional development and training among students.
Speaking on behalf of the local director of education, Paula Joaquim, she stated that the two-day training to produce scientific reflections with a view to promoting discussions that, in a certain way, will help to reinforce a whole set of knowledge that will result in concrete actions of the sector.
For two days, the 84 participants, namely education staff and focal points, are discussing issues about the responsibility of the focal point, the profile of community and health development agents and mobilizers, school engagement, challenges in implementing internal grants, among others. JT/MS/TED/DOJ
