President steps tentatively into exams marking shambles – Portugal Resident

Portugal’s president António José Seguro has taken the most diplomatic stand over the exams marking shambles that has hogged headlines over recent weeks. 

Without referring to a ‘crisis’, ‘shambles’, ‘fiasco’ or ‘debacle’, he has used a written statement to call for “the principle of equal access to higher education to be safeguarded”.

“Following a number of meetings and discussions held over the last few days, and this morning’s weekly meeting with the prime minister, the president reaffirms the high standards that must guide the entire process, with the mandatory safeguarding of the principle of equality amongst all pupils and the normality and predictability of the entire system, particularly with regard to the entrance examinations for higher education,” said the statement.

Published on the official website of the Presidency of the Republic, the text stressed that the state must take responsibility for and explain any failings or delays, and that ‘lessons must be learnt’ from this process, and mechanisms put in place to ensure that such problems are not repeated – starting with the second phase of the national secondary school examinations, which is already underway.

António José Seguro began by noting that “the events of recent weeks surrounding the administration and marking of the national examinations have caused understandable concern and anxiety amongst thousands of pupils, families and teachers”.

“At a particularly important moment in young people’s academic lives, the state has a duty to ensure that procedures are carried out with rigour, predictability and confidence. When faults or delays arise, it is essential that they be acknowledged, explained and resolved as swiftly and thoughtfully as possible. This has been the president’s view from the outset of the process”.

Reaffirming the president’s ”confidence in the quality of Portuguese schools and in the commitment of teachers and other education professionals, whose work has been essential in overcoming the difficulties encountered”, the country’s head of state offered “a message of confidence and solidarity to all students awaiting the conclusion of this process, reaffirming that no pupil should be disadvantaged by technical or administrative difficulties beyond their control or merit”.

“For many young people and parents who have made sacrifices over the years to secure a better future for their children, this is a decisive moment that must be resolved with fairness, rigour and respect for all,” the text reiterated

This eight-paragraph written message was released following the president’s weekly meeting with the head of the PSD/CDS-PP government and before he travelled to Cabo Verde to undertake his first state visit, between today and Thursday.

President Seguro has previously alluded to the marking controversy when questioned by journalists, always stressing that he hoped it would would be sorted painlessly and swiftly.

Arguably, this has not been the case – but sights now are on the second phase of exams-, in the expectation that blunders of the past will have been eradicated.

Source material: LUSA