The mayor of Guimarães, Ricardo Araújo, announced that the next Municipal Budget will have a specific allocation for the requalification of the municipality's schools. The mayor stated that the funds will not be residual, although he has not yet disclosed concrete figures, as the budget preparation process is just beginning. The preparatory work is practically complete, with the local authority already knowing which schools will be intervened and the ranking of works according to defined needs and priorities.
In parallel, the City Council will test a new maintenance and repair model for the school park, approved at a council meeting, with a pilot phase beginning this month in four school groups. The municipal company VITRUS will be responsible for implementing this model, whose cost is guaranteed through the existing programme contract with the municipality. The extension of the model to the entire school park of the municipality is planned for early 2027, provided the pilot experience is successful.
In Curricular Enrichment Activities, the "Rodopio" programme begins this school year, which aims to guarantee the quality and implementation of AECs in all school groups of the municipality. The Municipal Plan for Arts, Culture and Heritage in Schools, developed in partnership with the National Arts Plan, also involves for the first time all school groups in Guimarães.
Regarding operational assistants, Ricardo Araújo guaranteed that Guimarães fully complies with and exceeds the national ratios established for this professional category. The City Council commits to continuing to progressively reinforce this group of professionals, with priority for schools that welcome students with special educational needs.
