1

People's Party CDS-PP

Parliamentary Group

Parliamentary Appraisal n. 63 /X

Decree-Law No. 3/2008 of January 7, which " Defines the supports

specialized to provide in preschool education and in the basic teaching and

secondary to the publico, private and cooperative sectors "

1. It is the duty of the State to maintain a constant search for solutions for the full

educational inclusion of students with special educational needs.

2. Despite the limitations and flaws of the system, the truth is that, Portugal has

succeeded in making significant improvements to the pool of the responses that the

students with special educational needs have at their disposal.

We believe, however, that the scheme provided for by the Decree-Law No. 3/2008,

of January 17, comes to put all this into question by being, meaning, under the cover

of the defence of the value of "inclusion", an unacceptable backlash.

3. Under the scheme provided for in the Decree-Law No. 391/91, there were many

institutions, public and private, that have created adequate responses to the most

different types of special educational needs.

4. The CDS-PP reaffirms its respect and admiration for all how many, during

years, worked for the benefit of children and young people with educational needs

specials, created diversified responses and gave an opportunity to

these students enjoy a quality teaching.

2

5. The Decree-Law whose Parliamentary Appreciation now requires itself, makes shallow tablet

of all a work that has been carried out over the past few years, rejecting a

know and an experience with positive results. More so, this new

regime puts an end to all that work, namely by enacting the end of the

special education schools.

6. As a result of Despacho of the Lord Secretary of State of the

Education, dated February 22, 2007, at the beginning of the academic year in

course, the parents and teachers were barred from proposing and forwarding the

children for special education, the current situation being inadmissible.

7. We Advocate that the school has to be inclusive, but we do not accept that,

under this "cover" of inclusion, run over the rights of children and parents,

notably by the total loss of the right to the choice of the best solution for the

special educational needs of the students. We do not unknow the

numerous limitations of the current system, and we recognize the need for a

evolution in the responses of the education system in this area. Just that this can't

imply the collapse of a whole system that, despite its limitations, if

know to be endowed with virtualities that have ensured a significant improvement

of the overall responsiveness of our education system to the students

with special educational needs.

8. Concurrently, in addition to the deep doubts that the new regime in us

awakening, and which, in general, has been awakening throughout the educational community,

we consider it to be necessary for the Government to provide guarantees of the capacity

of the educational system itself to respond fully to the new regime that

is intended to perform. It is surely not 'by decree' that schools will

pass on to be prepared, from one moment to the other, to give answer

competent and appropriate to the entire broad set of educational needs

special presented by their students.

3

9. For the CDS-PP, given the relevance, particularity and special sensitivity

of the matter, the evolution of the system shall be done with prudence, in a manner

appropriate to its current capacity for response in logistical and in

human resources. The advantage, either for the students or the system, of the

end of schools of special education is for taste; likewise, they seem-

us unviable the legal solutions defined as an alternative to your

closure.

It is in question the whole educational pathway of young people who present

special educational needs! The new regime has generated perplexity

together with educators, families and education experts.

10. We consider even that the Government has opted for the worst of the solutions: a

abrupt solution, not accompanied by any political and technical debate

prior. It therefore fulfils the Assembly of the Republic, to appreciate and amend the diploma

legal in question, with a view to its improvement.

In these terms, and under the provisions of Article 162º (c) and in the article

169º, both of the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, and of the provisions of the article

189º of the Rules of the Assembly of the Republic, the Deputies below

signed, from the CDS Parliamentary Group-People's Party, come to apply for

Parliamentary appreciation, with a view to its amendment, of the Decree-Law No. 3/2008,

of January 7, which " Defines the specialized supports to be provided in education

preschool and in the basic and secondary teaches of the public sectors, private

and co-operative ".

Palace of S. Bento, January 30, 2008

The Deputies of the CDS-PP,