“Families can be confident that we will continue to do our utmost to provide schools with the human resources that are needed to be strengthened so that everything runs smoothly. This year we have 3,000 more teachers, 900 more specialised technicians and we will immediately hire 1,500 more operational assistants”, he said.

“This week we concluded one of the most difficult exercises in this resumption of educational activity with the conclusion of the reopening of the school year with face-to-face classes at all educational establishments and at all levels of education, which has been on hold since 13 March”, he recalled.

António Costa also stressed the importance of face-to-face education.

“We know that we are living in a demanding time when more people are being infected. We know that an even more demanding period is approaching, autumn and winter, and we know that despite distance learning through television, the enormous advances that the digital school has achieved and the great adaptation that families, students and teachers have had to work with new digital tools, there is nothing to replace classroom teaching. Therefore, we cannot lose what this week has achieved: the ability to have schools across the country to be able to function normally,”he said.

The Prime Minister called for the precautions that exist inside the school to be applied outside the school and stressed the importance of more people downloading the 'Stayaway covid' application.

“It is very important to comply with the rules at school, but it is essential that they are also followed outside the school. Inside the school it is essential to walk with a mask, maintain physical distance and maintain hand hygiene, but if outside we break these rules, on the way home, at garden parties and gatherings and in other spaces, we compromise the effort that is being made in each school. I kindly ask everyone to respect the rules outside of the school so that face to face schooling does not stop again ”, he said.