EDUCATION | Portuguese School ranks first in national exams

The Portuguese School of Macau (EPM) has come up in a national ranking of the best Portuguese international schools, based on students’ results in the national exams, which allow them to enrol in public Portuguese universities. EPM’s director, Manuel Machado, said that an academic staff with a sound knowledge of Macau’s reality and diligent students helped EPM reach such a position in the rankings.
“I believe that these achievements come as a result of a set of reasons…such as students’ merit, their diligence, and the effort they’ve put into their work,” he said.
Mr Machado said that having a stable academic staff, who pursued studies and furthered their careers in Portugal before heading to Macau, allowed them to master the Portuguese curriculum perfectly. Moreover, he noted that the staff has a sound knowledge of Macau and of its different communities too. “EPM’s academic staff know these students’ background and know the local culture, which is quite important to build ties and empathy with students, which obviously makes the whole learning and teaching process of learning easier,” Mr Machado stressed.
In addition, EPM’s principal has said that the close relationship built between parents and school staff has contributed to its success. “Teachers follow students’ academic progress closely and keep in touch regularly with parents. Such close collaboration has also played a role in the [rankings’ results],” he said.
EPM offers elementary and secondary study programs. According to Mr Machado, this helps to create an environment in which students, through every grade, are able to meet teachers easily, dispel their doubts, prepare for exams and further their knowledge.
EPM was founded in the 1998/1999 academic-year and currently has about 550 students.  MDT/Lusa