At the press conference at the end of the Council of Ministers meeting, Antonio Leitão Amaro said that this is an urgent expense, so that the school year can be “prepared in time”.

The funds are intended for the acquisition of digital licenses and vouchers for the purchase of new manuals, explained the office of the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation, in response to Lusa.

The Council of Ministers also approved 22 million euros for expenses related to “different components of special education”, which the Minister of the Presidency did not specify, and 16 million euros for the acquisition of routers.

The 16 million euros to improve connectivity in schools are in addition to the 15 million approved two weeks ago for the acquisition of connectivity services that will be made available to some students in the next school year, but also for the provision of a portable ‘hotspot’ in each classroom in public primary and secondary schools.

For higher education, the executive approved 11 million euros for the construction of a scientific and technological building at the Faculty of Human Kinetics and 7.5 million euros for a new center for artificial intelligence and digital economy at the Instituto Superior Técnico, both of the University of Lisbon.

“In order not to delay these projects, this decision could and should be taken now,” highlighted Leitão Amaro.