Teacher shortages persist as school year ends

Wednesday, 17 June 2026AI summary

With the school year nearing its end, the government still lacks reliable data on the number of students missing teachers for specific subjects. Following an audit by KPMG that identified flaws in ministry data systems, the government stopped publishing figures, raising concerns about transparency under Minister Fernando Alexandre.

Context & Explainers

Fernando Alexandre is the Minister of Education, Science, and Innovation in Portugal's current government, which took office in April 2024. An economist by training, he previously served as a Secretary of State and is now responsible for managing the national school system and university funding. He recently sparked debate by suggesting that university tuition fees should be adjusted to account for inflation.