SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION II

PROJECT REPRESENTS 1 ELEMENT IN A LARGER AMERICAN RESPONSE TO PORTUGAL"S OVERWHELMING ECONOMIC DIFFICULTIES. PROJECT WILL INCLUDE 35,000 WORKER MONTHS OF EMPLOYMENT IN THE MORE UNDERDEVELOPED AREAS OF PORTUGAL. PROJECT AIMS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF TEACHERS,DECREASE THE STUDENT/CLASSROOM RATIO,INSTRUCT IN ALL APPROVED SUBJECTS FOR A STUDENT POPULATION OF 12,000 TAUGHT BY 600 TEACHERS. AID FUNDS WILL BE INFUSED INTO THE ECONOMY AND BUDGET OF GOP. PRIMARY AGENT FOR PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION IS THE GENERAL DIRECTORATE OF SCHOOL FACILITIES (DGEE) WHICH FORMS PART OF THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION (MEIC). ONCE COMPLETED, STAFFING OF THE SCHOOLS WILL BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE GENERAL DIRECTORATE OF ADMINISTRATION AND PERSONNEL (DGAP). BOTH DGEE AND DGAP ARE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION (SEAE). THE PROJECT REPRESENTS US INTEREST IN THE PORTUGUESE EDUCATION SECTOR CURRENTLY PLAGUED BY CHRONIC OVERCROWDING OF OLD SCHOOL BUILDINGS OFTEN POORLY LOCATED. THE GOP 5-YEAR PROGRAM INCLUDES THE CONSTRUCTION OF 215 PREPARATORY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT PORTUGAL BY 1980. FURTHER, PROJECT AIMS TO ASSIST PORTUGAL IN STRENGTHENING ITS NEWLY FORMED DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS,RELIEVING NATIONAL ECONOMIC PRESSURES AND BALANCE OF PAYMENTS DEFICITS AND REDUCING EFFECTS OF HARDSHIPS OF HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT AND GROWING INFLATION ON PORTUGAL"S PEOPLE. ACTIVITIES OF THIS PROJECT INCLUDE: 1.COMPLETED SECONDARY AND PREPARATORY AND COMBINED SECONDARY/PREPARATORY SCHOOL BUILDINGS IN RURAL, LESSER DEVELOPED AREAS OF PORTUGAL. 2.CREATION OF 35,000 WORKER MONTHS OF EMPLOYMENT. 3.SUPPORT OF SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION BUDGET AND PORTUGUESE ECONOMY.