The Mourão Municipal Nursery officially begins operations on September 21, fulfilling a social service that families in the municipality have been waiting 50 years for. Mourão was identified as the only municipality in the country without any social services for early childhood, a gap that has constrained local families for decades. Before the official opening, on September 17, the municipality is holding an open day so the population can see the new facilities.
With capacity for 42 children from four months to three years of age, the new facility results from the renovation and expansion of Mourão's Kindergarten and represents an investment of approximately one million euros. The equipment is presented by the local authority as a measure with an impact on Mourão's ability to attract and retain young population, contributing to the reconciliation between family and professional life.
The Municipal Nursery will be directly managed by the Mourão City Council, which will be responsible for hiring professionals, food, purchasing materials, and organizing the service. According to the municipality, this is the first municipal direct management nursery in the Évora district, with its operation framed by the municipal regulation approved by the Municipal Assembly at the end of 2025 and published in the Official Gazette in February 2026.
The implementation of the new social service was accompanied by a protocol signed between the Municipality of Mourão and the Social Security Institute, I.P./District Centre of Évora, signed on August 26 by the Mayor, João Fortes, and by the director of the District Centre of Évora, Nuno Branco Alas. The agreement aims to ensure financial support for nursery attendance through the funding provided for children attending a public service.
