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However, the efficacy of this mechanism is being questioned. The National Association of Directors of Public Groups and Schools (ANDAEP) even warns of the possibility that hundreds of students could be harmed, without classes, with the absence of teachers from risk groups.
“How many teachers will there be at home, due to medical discharge, within this risk group?” Asks Filinto Lima, president of ANDAEP. “If the number is small, there may be no problem. If the number is large, there may be a problem, especially in some regions of the country and certain disciplinary groups.“, He warned. The National Federation of Teachers (FENPROF) says that there are 12 thousand teachers who are in the risk group for health reasons and that they may have to resort to sick leave.
“The question we can ask ourselves is, if this number is in the thousands, if they will have teachers to replace them”, said the director of FENPROF, Mário Nogueira.
Filinto Lima recalls that, in certain regions of the country, such as Greater Lisbon, Alentejo and Lisbon, it is already difficult to hire a teacher, especially from October and November. Therefore, there may be difficulties, especially in these regions, to find substitute teachers ”, warns the president of ANDAEP.
The president of the National Federation of Education (FNE) also believes that it will be impossible to respond to all requests for replacement. and challenges the impossibility of telecommuting for teachers in the upcoming school year.
“Our perspective would be that these teachers could be used in teleworking, particularly in circumstances in which it is proven that the school does not find a teacher to replace it”, defends João Dias da Silva. “It will be very bad if the teacher is at home from below, although he can teach teleworking, and the students are left without support simply because the legislation is not bringing this solution of recourse to teleworking,” added the president of the FNE, in an interview. to antenna 1.
Telecommuting for teachers “doesn’t make much sense”
With the start of the school year next week, the Government decided that teachers who belong to the Covid-19 risk group do not have the right to telework. Teachers can deliver a certificate proving that they are part of a risk group and are entitled to 30 days of excused absences. After this period, these professionals must have a normal medical leave to remain at home and start receiving only sickness benefit.
Manuel Pereira, president of the National Association of School Leaders (ANDE), considers that, “In the case of teachers, teleworking doesn’t make much sense” and states that it is “unfair and incomprehensible” that teachers “have to be on sick leave when in reality they are not sick.”
“Teleworking, in bureaucratic work, makes a lot of sense. But the teachers’ work is not bureaucratic. It is a work of accompaniment and constant presence in the classroom ”, explained the president of ANDE. Manuel Pereira considers that “it is not possible” for a first cycle shift, for example, to be alone in a room while the teacher gives the class from home.
“Even if the law provides for the possibility of teleworking, in the case of teachers, it is not possible. Nor is it possible to find teachers to replace those who would be teaching at home to accompany the students in the classrooms ”, reiterates Manuel Pereira.
Teleworking is not compatible with face-to-face teaching, says the Government
The Undersecretary of State and Education, João Costa, agrees with the same opinion, explaining that “The alternative to the downside would be teleworking, but teleworking is compatible with distance education, not with face-to-face teaching.”
João Costa guarantees, however, that due to the evolution of the pandemic situation, “eventually, we may have the transition to mixed regimes or non-face-to-face regimes. There we will be working with regimes compatible with telework ”.
Regarding the teacher substitution system, João Costa assures that “The greatest security we have is that the replacement of teachers is one of the fastest mechanisms to replace employees., because we have a hiring reserve that works every year and that allows us, in one week, to place substitute teachers ”.
The Secretary of State for Education explains that “there will be the normal coercion that has occurred in other years with the lack of teachers in some contexts and hiring groups”, but guarantees that the Ministry of Education is “prepared to streamline all existing procedures for the replacement it is fast and efficient ”.
