Education: Government policy news in Portugal

Minister of Education Fernando Alexandre announced that the number of school schedules without assigned teachers has fallen from 1,208 in January to 448 in March. The minister attributed this improvement to new placements and the correction of administrative errors that previously inflated the data. However, teaching unions continue to dispute these figures, claiming the actual shortage remains more significant than official reports suggest.

Education Minister Fernando Alexandre proposed a new legal framework (Regime Jurídico dos Graus e Diplomas) for university admission. Candidates would need to meet minimum levels in English, literacy, and numeracy to enter bachelor's or master's programs. Families with students should note that while the government aims to raise standards, student groups warn these requirements could exclude some applicants.

Fenprof, the national teachers' union, refused to continue negotiations with the Government over the teaching career statute after the ministry barred the union Stop from the meeting because it was protesting outside the Ministry of Education. Fenprof said it could not accept what it called an undermining of the right to protest; the Secretary of State for Education said the Government will not negotiate “under pressure.” Teachers and school staff should watch how the standoff affects progress on the career statute and any planned strike or industrial-action dates.

In the document released by the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation (MECI) and sent to the unions for the negotiation meeting on Wednesday, the Government presents its proposal to revise the Teaching Career Statute.