JPP Proposes Measures to Enhance Higher Education Equity in Madeira

In a bid to promote social justice and equal opportunities in higher education, Juntos Pelo Povo (JPP), through Deputy Filipe Sousa, will present two legislative initiatives for debate and voting in the Assembly of the Republic on March 20. The focus is on providing better access to higher education for students from Madeira and the Azores.

The first initiative, Project of Law No. 477/XVII/1.ª, aims to introduce a support regime for air mobility, which would benefit students from the Autonomous Regions of Madeira and the Azores who study outside their home regions. This initiative suggests subsidizing up to four round-trip flights per academic year, covering both scholarship and non-scholarship students. The goal is to alleviate the high travel costs and minimize the inequalities caused by the islands' geographic isolation.

The JPP stresses that geographical distance should not be a barrier to accessing higher education. The proposal includes direct financial participation for ticket purchases through agreements with airlines, ensuring greater accessibility and predictability for students and their families.

The second initiative, Project of Law No. 478/XVII, seeks to strengthen the social support system in higher education, with a particular focus on scholarship and displaced students. Key measures include redefining the concept of family aggregation to better reflect students' social realities, expanding eligibility criteria for scholarships, increasing the reference scholarship amount, and boosting housing support.

Additionally, the proposal advocates for free public transport for displaced scholarship students who receive housing supplements, or alternatively, for a more inclusive social support structure.

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