Africa-Press – Cape verde. A special policy of school subsidies and prizes in the municipality of São Filipe, on the Cape Verdean island of Fogo, was recognized as part of the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities, the municipality explained to Lusa this Monday.
Each academic year, the chamber supports “approximately 2,000 students”, registered in the single social register, said councilor Eva Spínola.
A total of 1,400 benefit from subsidies for school transport, another 200 students from higher education and training schools receive support for tuition fees and the remainder receive sets of materials and uniforms.
There are also distinctions for students with the best results.
“Every year, the São Filipe City Council rewards the best students, from the first to the 12th year of the four school groups on the island”, he highlighted.
Around 20,000 people live in the municipality, on an island in the south of the archipelago, dominated by the lunar landscape that surrounds the Fogo volcano.
Three years ago, “São Filipe was the first municipality in Cape Verde to draw up the municipal regulation on school social action, which regulates all types of support provided from pre-school to higher education”, explained Eva Spínola.
In May 2023, the municipality applied for the initiative to the Global Network of Learning Cities of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco).
The objective of the municipal school support program is that “all students have the same access conditions and the same teaching opportunities”.
“We fight inequalities, so that no student is left out of the education system due to [lack of} economic conditions, losing opportunities”, said the councilor.
The action bore fruit.
About two weeks ago, UNESCO announced the inclusion of 64 cities from 35 countries in the global network.
On the list there are five cities from Portuguese-speaking countries: Curitiba, Leme and Recife, in Brazil, Fundão, in Portugal and São Filipe, in Cape Verde, “a recognition for the efforts to make lifelong learning a reality for everyone”.
“We are proud of our city. The recognition is the commitment we made to São Filipe. We are working on education as one of the priority areas”, he highlighted.
“It is an effort made to make the municipality even more competitive and encourage other cities”, concluded Eva Spínola.
For More News And Analysis About Cape verde Follow Africa-Press
