More than 5,000 teachers have taken sick leave since classes began for the new academic year three weeks ago, according to figures released today by the Ministry of Education. On the day that the Ministry of Education’s office begins negotiations with unions to present a new legal regime for the professional qualification of teachers – with the aim of combating their shortage – a ministry source revealed that schools have received more than 5,000 requests to replace teachers on sick leave since the start of the school year. According to the ministry, the cases are happening all over the country, with a slight incidence in the north. The general lack of teachers, one of the biggest problems many schools deal with on a daily basis, is more noticeable in the Lisbon area and in the south (Algarve/ Alentejo).
