The beginning of the school year 2024/25 in the municipality of Odemira is marked by the opening of the new São LuÃs School Center, the continuation of investments in the qualification of the school system in the order of 1 million euros, as well as the investment of around 1,4 million euros in school social action and support.
The new São LuÃs School Center, which results from the improvement and expansion of the old 1st cycle school, opened its doors on the first day of the school year. This equipment represents an investment of around €2,182,453.57, with financing under Alentejo 2020, and provides the school community with better teaching conditions. The interventions planned for maintenance and conservation works of school buildings and spaces in the various Groups represent an investment estimated at around 1 million euros, alongside the investment of around €90,000.00 in the acquisition of school furniture.
In parallel, the Municipality of Odemira is currently contracting the contract for the construction of the new Almograve School Center, which will include Kindergarten and Almograve 1st Cycle School, and is preparing an application for the requalification of the Secondary and Damião de Odemira Schools and the Eng School. Rafael Amaro da Costa, in Sao Teotonio, under the PRR – Recovery and Resilience Plan.
Within the scope of School Social Action and support for Education, the Municipality foresees an investment of close to 1,4 million. Vouchers were granted to purchase school supplies for each student from elementary to high school, not total of €78,750.00. As part of school meals, the Municipality expects them to be served close to 15 a thousand lunches (from preschool to secondary school), for a value that amounts to €940,000.00.
In Economic Aid, support for school meals and entertainment and family support activities is established, provided through vouchers for pre-school and 1st cycle, not value of €7,300.00. A large dimension of investment in the municipality is school transport, which represent the value of €365,000.00 in special circuits for around 540 students in the academic year of 2024/25.
In the first days of the start of the new school year, the councilor of the Odemira City Council responsible for the area of ​​Education, Isabel Palma, visited the five school clusters, for direct contact with school communities. The councilor explains that “Education is a priority for the Municipality of Odemira, which translates into investments already made and planned for the improvement and creation of new school structures, to serve all students and with better conditions, as well as optimization of the educational services provided. With this new academic year we also materialize the objectives of ODETE – Odemira Território Educativo (revisited), the Municipality's educational project, with a robust proposal of activities for students to complement their learning. Lastly, but equally important, is the proximity and appreciation of non-teaching staff, A fundamental team in the school community that, in our opinion, should be included in the various school projects and strategic objectives of the educational project.”
The municipality of Odemira records an increase in 216 students compared to the previous academic year, total no 3840 students at different levels of education in the public and private school network, which led to the creation of 9 new classes. The Municipality is working on new preschool responses in Kindergartens in Foros do Galeado, Zambujeira do Mar and São Teotónio.
