Education quality news in Portugal

The 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment (Programa Internacional de Avaliação de Alunos or PISA) results show a significant decline in performance for Portuguese students in mathematics, reading, and science. Reading scores have reached their lowest point since 2006, leading education experts to call for urgent policy changes, including the potential reintroduction of national exams in primary grades.

Five Portuguese business schools have secured spots in the 2026 Financial Times Masters in Management ranking, with the Nova School of Business and Economics (Nova SBE) reaching second place globally. The Católica-Lisbon SBE, Iscte Business School, and Católica-Porto SBE also improved their positions, while the ISEG Lisbon School of Economics and Management made its debut in the elite list.

Minister of Education, Science and Innovation Fernando Alexandre acknowledged that Portugal will face a structural shortage of teachers for several years. The statement follows reports from the National Federation of Teachers (Federação Nacional dos Professores or Fenprof) that over 2,600 teaching vacancies remain unfilled just days before the school year begins.

Prime Minister Luís Montenegro announced new school autonomy measures at the PSD Summer University, drawing praise from school principals. However, the announcement faced sharp criticism from opposition leaders, including Socialist Party (Partido Socialista or PS) leader José Luís Carneiro and Communist Party (Partido Comunista Português or PCP) Secretary-General Paulo Raimundo, who accused the government of using propaganda to mask underlying issues in the education sector.

Prime Minister Luís Montenegro announced the creation of the University of Bragança and the Northern Interior during the PSD Summer University. While outlining new education policies, he also addressed recent technical failures in national secondary school exams, which forced a delay in grade releases. Socialist Party Secretary-General José Luís Carneiro criticized the Prime Minister, accusing him of attempting to politically whitewash the exam disruptions.

An audit by the General Inspectorate of Education and Science (IGEC) has uncovered delays in exam re-evaluation requests across 69 schools. While the report found no evidence of deliberate misconduct, the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation has recommended further inquiries into the operational lapses identified.

Update: Audit confirms exam processing delays

The audit further revealed that 29 schools experienced delays in delivering first-phase exams. While the IGEC report concluded that no deliberate actions compromised exam integrity, it recommended additional inquiries into the procedural failures.

President António José Seguro has signed a new law prohibiting the use of smartphones in schools for students up to the 9th grade. The government implemented this measure following reports from school directors that restricting mobile phone access improves socialization and reduces classroom indiscipline.

The National Union of Higher Education (Sindicato Nacional do Ensino Superior or SNESup) has expressed concern after data showed that students from the lowest income bracket represent only 3% of placements in the first phase of university admissions. While the total number of placed students increased, union president José Moreira warned that socioeconomic barriers continue to limit access to competitive courses.

The first phase of the National Higher Education Access Competition (Concurso Nacional de Acesso ao Ensino Superior or CNAES) saw nearly 50,000 students placed in universities. Polytechnic institutions experienced a 24.5% growth in placements, a trend attributed to their recent rebranding as polytechnic universities and relaxed entrance requirements. Aerospace Engineering at the University of Porto remains the most competitive course, requiring an entry grade of 19.5.

Nearly 50,000 students secured places in the first phase of the national higher education access competition, filling 88.9% of available spots. The Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation (MECI) reported this as the highest placement figure in the last decade, excluding 2020, with over half of candidates accepted into their first choice.

The results for the second phase of national secondary school exam re-evaluations will be released on September 14. The government delayed the publication from the original August 28 date to provide teachers with additional time for rest.

The National Federation of Teachers (Federação Nacional dos Professores or Fenprof) stated that the 20,404 teachers recently placed for the upcoming school year do not meet the permanent needs of schools. The union noted that only 1,252 of these placements involve new contracts, with the remainder consisting of internal transfers, and warned that hundreds of teachers are expected to retire by September.

The Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation (Ministério da Educação, Ciência e Inovação or MECI) has authorized a 2.6 million euro payment for teachers who graded national exams this year, a practice not seen since 2010. Meanwhile, Minister of Education Fernando Alexandre announced that re-evaluations for second-phase exams are postponed until September due to a request from the National Exams Jury (Júri Nacional de Exames or JNE).

The Secretary of State for Higher Education has requested that the Public Prosecutor's Office (Ministério Público) investigate reports of antisemitism at the University of Coimbra. The case involves allegations of hate speech and graffiti targeting Jewish and Israeli individuals, which the university claims to have previously reported to authorities.

New regulations for higher education scholarships will be implemented in phases during the 2026-2027 academic year. The government stated that full implementation was delayed, so current rules remain in place for most areas, with updates limited to displaced student status, accommodation support, and a new incentive grant for low-income students.

The Ministry of Education has extended the university application deadline by three days for students who only received their exam re-evaluation results this Monday. Meanwhile, the National Examination Jury (Júri Nacional de Exames or JNE) reported that over 21,000 grade review requests were submitted this year, with 77% of those reviews resulting in higher marks.

Update: Ministry opens inquiry into school exam irregularities

The Minister of Education has ordered an official inquiry into irregularities during the national secondary school exams. The investigation focuses on schools that submitted exam papers for grading after the official collection period and those that failed to process re-evaluation requests on time.

The Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation (Ministério da Educação, Ciência e Inovação or MECI) reports that only a residual number of exam re-evaluation requests remain pending. Officials guarantee that no student will be prevented from applying to the first phase of higher education access due to these delays. The National Exams Jury (Júri Nacional de Exames or JNE) has sent the vast majority of results to schools.

Over 60,000 students have applied for the first phase of higher education, marking the highest figure in 30 years outside of the pandemic period. While the Ministry of Education views the 22% increase as a positive sign, some universities have expressed concern regarding potential drops in academic standards and increased first-year dropout rates.

Minister of Education Fernando Alexandre has defended the digitization of national exams, announcing that the process will undergo an independent evaluation by the National Council of Education (Conselho Nacional de Educação or CNE) by the end of the year. While the second-phase results were released this Friday, some schools report they have not yet received all re-evaluation grades. The minister ruled out dismissals, stating the system is functioning and errors are being corrected.

The Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation confirmed that second-phase national exam results and first-phase re-evaluation outcomes will be posted this Friday. While results were sent to schools on Thursday, the National Examination Jury (Júri Nacional de Exames or JNE) noted that the volume of re-evaluation requests caused minor delays. Students will be able to access their grades and digital versions of their exams throughout the day.

Update: Exam results release timeline clarified

Although the government initially aimed to deliver results to schools by 5:30 PM on Thursday, some institutions reported receiving them as late as 7:00 PM. Grades are scheduled to be posted at schools by 9:30 AM on Friday, and students who received grade changes from first-phase re-evaluations have until Monday to apply for higher education.

The teachers' movement Missão Escola Pública (MEP) warns that completing grade reviews for the first phase of national exams by Friday is practically impossible. Teachers cite ongoing administrative hurdles, missing documentation, and late summons for examiners as primary causes for the delay. While the Ministry of Education reports that 97% of second-phase exams are graded, the review process continues to face technical and bureaucratic challenges.

Fernando Alexandre guaranteed in Parliament that 97% of the items from the second phase of national exams have been graded and that 50% of the re-evaluations are “ready”. It is the re-evaluation processes that most concern teachers and principals.

A significant shortage of student accommodation persists in Portugal, with an estimated deficit of 119,000 beds for university students. Despite recent efforts to increase supply, experts emphasize that both public and private sectors must intensify their efforts to meet the growing demand for housing.

Minister of Education, Science and Innovation Fernando Alexandre will appear before the Parliament's Standing Committee this Monday to discuss recent problems with national secondary school exams. Although his attendance was not mandatory, the minister confirmed he will answer questions from deputies regarding the ongoing situation.

Update: Government reveals costs for exam failure control

The Institute for Education, Quality and Assessment (Instituto de Educação, Qualidade e Avaliação or Eduqa) has confirmed it hired the consultancy firm Deloitte for over 406,000 euros to address failures in the digital grading system. The contract, signed via direct adjustment (ajuste direto), covers technical support for the second phase of national exams through August 31.

Minister of Education Fernando Alexandre confirmed that the start of the secondary school year is postponed by one week to September 21. The delay follows significant grading backlogs caused by technical failures in the digital exam correction process. The Ministry is currently evaluating whether a similar postponement is necessary for students in the 3rd cycle of basic education.

National exam results for the ninth grade show a decline in performance compared to last year, with a majority of students failing the mathematics exam. Data from the National Examination Jury (Júri Nacional de Exames or JNE) indicates that the national average for mathematics dropped to 49 points out of 100.

Minister of Education, Science and Innovation Fernando Alexandre has signed an order to compensate teachers for the increased workload associated with the new digital grading system for national secondary school exams. Educators will receive one euro for each classified response and 12 euros for each re-evaluated exam paper, with additional rates for physical exams and complaint processing. This compensation applies to all exam phases, including the extraordinary period.

Update: Inefficiencies in teacher exam grading system exposed

Recent data reveals that 111 teachers summoned for exam grading were either on holiday or sick leave, prompting Minister Fernando Alexandre to label the current selection model as extremely inefficient and in need of reform.

Registration for a special period of national secondary school exams began today and remains open until Friday. This measure is available to all students to help compensate for recent delays in the digital grading of national exams.

A new monitoring system called 'Pré-PCS' has been implemented to address recurring technical failures in the digital grading of national secondary school exams. Developed with support from the consultancy firm Deloitte and the Institute for Education, Quality and Assessment (Instituto de Educação, Qualidade e Avaliação or Eduqa), the system aims to ensure accuracy and prevent the data errors that impacted students in the first phase of examinations.

Students and teachers gathered outside the Ministry of Education in Lisbon this Friday to protest technical failures in the digital grading of national exams. Protesters, including members of the 'Voz aos Estudantes' movement, demanded the resignation of Minister of Education Fernando Alexandre, while the National Federation of Education (Federação Nacional da Educação or FNE) called for an independent audit of the entire process.

The National Federation of Education believes that Fernando Alexandre should not be the only one to take responsibility for what went wrong with the national exams.

A teachers' movement known as MetaPROF has filed a formal complaint with the National Data Protection Commission (Comissão Nacional de Proteção de Dados or CNPD). The group alleges irregularities in the digital grading and distribution process for national exams, citing potential violations of the General Data Protection Regulation (Regulamento Geral sobre a Proteção de Dados or RGPD).

The National Federation of Education (Federação Nacional da Educação or FNE) has criticized the planning and execution of this year's national exams, labeling the process a failure. While the FNE acknowledges the responsibility of Minister of Education Fernando Alexandre, they argue that other actors involved in the system must also be held accountable and are calling for an independent audit.

Minister of Education Fernando Alexandre has admitted to at least 680 scanning errors in recent national exams, which left some students without grades or with incorrect results. Despite criticism from opposition voices and public concern, the minister described the reaction as “exaggerated alarmism” and confirmed that the government remains committed to the digital grading reform.

The Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation has announced an extraordinary national exam session for secondary school students from September 3 to 8. This measure follows technical issues in the electronic grading system, allowing all students eligible for the second phase to retake their exams, with the best grade counting toward their final results. Registration for this special session is open from July 27 to July 31.

The Association of Geography Teachers has requested an urgent review of the automatic grading parameters for item 12.1 in the Geography A national exam. This follows two previously identified errors in the same test, prompting teachers to contact the National Exams Jury and the president of EduQA, Luís Santos, to ensure fair assessment for the 16,714 students who took the exam.

Only Portuguese Literature presented a failing average in the first phase

The second phase of national secondary school exams started today amid ongoing student uncertainty regarding first-phase results caused by digital system errors. Education Minister Fernando Alexandre has ruled out his resignation, maintaining that the government's exam schedule remains in place.

Update: President demands equality in national exams

President António José Seguro met with Prime Minister Luís Montenegro to demand that the government ensure equality for all students following the technical failures. The president of the Institute for Education, Quality and Assessment (Instituto de Educação, Qualidade e Avaliação or EduQa), Luís Pereira dos Santos, insisted that the digital system was tested multiple times before the exams began.

The National Exams Jury (Júri Nacional de Exames or JNE) has extended the registration deadline for the second phase of the Geography A national exam until the end of Tuesday. The extension follows a parameterization error in the marking scheme for two items, which required the reclassification of student grades. Schools are currently receiving the corrected results.