The Socialist Party (Partido Socialista or PS) has launched a sharp critique of Minister of Education Fernando Alexandre, calling him a candidate for the worst minister since the 1974 revolution. The party highlighted the scandal of students being left without school placements despite mandatory education requirements. Concerns regarding the state of the education system are further compounded by recent data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (Programme for International Student Assessment or PISA), which indicates declining performance among Portuguese students.
PS criticizes Education Minister over school enrollment gaps
Sunday, 13 September 2026AI summary
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.
The Programme for International Student Assessment (Programa Internacional de Avaliação de Alunos or PISA) is a worldwide study by the OECD that measures 15-year-old students' performance in mathematics, science, and reading. It provides a standardized benchmark for education systems, helping policymakers identify strengths and weaknesses in national curricula compared to other countries.
3 sources
- Fernando Alexandre candidate for worst Minister of Educationobservador.pt ·
- PS says Fernando Alexandre is a candidate for the worst Minister of Education since the 25th of Aprilpublico.pt ·
- PS floats prospect of Fernando Alexandre as candidate for “Worst Education Minister” since 1974Portugal Resident ·
