Fernando Alexandre was the guest at Friday night’s dinner-conference during the PSD Summer University, a training initiative for young professionals running until Sunday in Castelo de Vide (Portalegre).
The minister was questioned by a student about the Government’s commitment to science, following the announced dissolution of the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) to be replaced by the National Innovation Agency (ANI).
Fernando Alexandre highlighted that in 2024 there was “the largest ever investment in science in Portugal” and reiterated that next year’s budget for this area will increase by 40 million euros.
“Forty million is a very significant amount (…) The commitment is total and all programs will continue. We will be organized differently.”, he stated.
The minister argued that “the FCT itself and the entire scientific community already know it doesn’t work well, it no longer meets the needs of researchers.”
“So, it’s necessary to change. And we will change the organization of science financing, reinforcing it,” he stated.
Moreover, he considered that continued investment in science will only be possible “if society acknowledges that this investment meets its needs, helps improve society, and boosts the economy.”
“Society needs to understand that it’s important, and scientists must realize they have an obligation to give back to society the investment made in them,” he said, urging stronger links between research and innovation.
Regarding the controversy surrounding the Citizenship Education subject, the minister expressed surprise at “the frivolity” with which the topic was discussed.
“I am often surprised, indeed, at the way this subject is talked about because, modesty aside, it’s the first time it is being treated with the seriousness it deserves and the place it deserves in the curriculum,” he remarked.
Fernando Alexandre emphasized that this subject includes “matters of great complexity,” including sex education, and there is “a training problem” among the teachers who taught it.
“Moreover, it is not at all evident that learning is achieved. Hence, a concern we now have with revising the subject is not only to have essential learnings in financial literacy, political science, sex education, but also to have teachers with the appropriate training to teach these contents from the first to the twelfth grade”, he stressed.
