Dulce Figueiredo is from Évora, but has been placed to teach in Quarteira this year, over 200km from her home and family.
Dulce told CNN Portugal that she was lucky to have family in Quarteira who welcomed her, otherwise she might have had to live in a campsite. “With a teacher's income it is not possible to have a permanent residence and then move and bear all the rent expenses,” she explained.
The teacher explained that she been displaced for 20 years, commuting daily from her home in Évora to her workplace, but this has always been in Lisbon and surrounding areas until now. This year, the situation is just ridiculous.
Most teachers were displaced, placed in a school far from homes and families. The system is crazy, having to compete and wait to see if you are lucky enough to 'win' a placement close to home.
“Fortunately, I have family living in Quarteira, but if I had been placed elsewhere in the Algarve, I would have to consider live on a campsite, because with a teacher's income it is not possible to pay the high rental expenses, even just for a room,” she said.
Dulce has brought one of her children with her, but because of limited space she has two other children who have to stay at their family home, in Évora.
