Africa-Press – Angola. The President of the Republic, João Lourenço, instructed, this Monday in Luanda, the swift and sustainable construction of more schools, especially primary schools, with a view to including all children in the education system.
The Head of State, speaking at the swearing-in ceremony of the new Minister of Education, Erika Linete Batalha de Carvalho Aires, stressed that education and teaching are essential pillars for the development of any society.
According to João Lourenço, despite investments made under the Integrated Municipal Intervention Plan (PIIM) and other public programs, the deficit of school infrastructure remains high, largely due to strong demographic pressure and the insufficient number of schools, especially at the primary level.The President of the Republic informed that the Executive has already made financial resources available for the construction of new schools, assuring, however, that the Government is open to mobilizing additional funds, “all that is necessary,” to overcome what he considered a serious social problem.
He also mentioned that the Angolan State is continuing its efforts to recover financial resources located in foreign banks, particularly in Europe, which, by decision of the Angolan courts, belong to the State and should be returned to its benefit.
“We are considering using a significant portion of these resources to increase the number of schools to be built,” he stated, highlighting education as one of the priority areas for the application of these funds, similar to the health sector.João Lourenço also emphasized that the construction of new school infrastructure must be accompanied by the training, recruitment, and strengthening of teaching and administrative staff, in order to ensure the proper functioning of educational institutions.
Addressing the new Minister of Education, the President of the Republic expressed his full confidence in her abilities and encouraged her to communicate any difficulties that may arise in the performance of her duties, reiterating his continued willingness to support the sector.
“Education must reach a much higher level than it currently does in our country,” he concluded, wishing the minister success in her role.Erika Linete Batalha de Carvalho Aires, 47, was appointed Minister of Education last Friday by presidential decree, replacing Luísa Grilo.
Prior to her appointment, she served as a member of the National Assembly since 2022 and as second vice-president of the MPLA Parliamentary Group, with a background focused on education, governance, and training of national personnel.
Academically, she holds a doctorate in Political Science and International Relations and a master’s degree in Management and Public Policy from the University of Lisbon, Portugal. She also has training in communication and marketing, having completed courses at universities in the United States and Spain.
