
“Education cannot exist without culture. An education lacking cultural dimension fails its mission,” stated the Minister of Education, Science, and Innovation, Fernando Alexandre, in Ponta Delgada, on the island of São Miguel, at the conference “Culture, Education and Territory in the Place of Tomorrow,” held at the Luís da Camões auditorium as part of the PDL26 – Portuguese Capital of Culture project.
“If education were limited to the content in textbooks of Mathematics, Portuguese, or Natural Sciences, it would be very limited,” the minister argued, highlighting the government’s commitment to promoting equal opportunities “in access to quality education across the national territory,” including the Autonomous Regions of the Azores and Madeira.
“We continue to face many inequalities in access to education across the national territory and also in the Autonomous Regions, which is something those responsible for education must never forget,” he continued.
Fernando Alexandre emphasized that culture and education are inseparable.
“Culture, in its various forms, has an identity dimension, and enhances and develops the senses, essential to human formation,” he considered.
For the Minister of Education, “exposure to reading, poetry, music, theater, or cinema within the school is fundamental,” highlighting the work of the National Plan for the Arts, developed by the governmental areas of Culture and Education, aiming to make the arts more accessible to citizens.
“We must succeed in bringing reading, poetry, music, theater, and cinema into the schools for students. When we have an appreciation for poetry, cinema, or theater, we should continue,” stressed Fernando Alexandre, who mentioned always keeping a book of poetry with him.
APE // EJ
Lusa/Fim