Latest news and stories about national exams in education in Portugal for expats and residents.
Data from the Ministry of Education shows that 75.2% of requests for re-evaluation of second-phase national exams resulted in higher grades for students. The process saw 2,563 requests, with 1,928 students receiving score increases. This follows a summer marked by technical difficulties during the transition to a digital grading process for national examinations.
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.
The Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation (Ministério da Educação, Ciência e Inovação) is the government department responsible for Portugal's education system, from pre-school to secondary schools and universities, as well as science and research policy. It sets the school curriculum and calendar, manages the public-school teaching workforce and, together with the institutions, decides how many places public universities offer each year.
The National Examination Jury (Júri Nacional de Exames or JNE) is the public body responsible for organizing, managing, and overseeing national exams in Portugal. It ensures the integrity of the testing process, including the distribution of exam papers to teachers for grading and the final certification of student results.
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.
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 National Council of Education (Conselho Nacional de Educação or CNE) is an independent advisory body that provides guidance to the government on national education policy. It includes representatives from schools, universities, and professional organizations to ensure that educational standards and reforms are evaluated from multiple perspectives.
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 National Examination Jury (Júri Nacional de Exames or JNE) is the public body responsible for organizing, managing, and overseeing national exams in Portugal. It ensures the integrity of the testing process, including the distribution of exam papers to teachers for grading and the final certification of student results.
The Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation (Ministério da Educação, Ciência e Inovação) is the government department responsible for Portugal's education system, from pre-school to secondary schools and universities, as well as science and research policy. It sets the school curriculum and calendar, manages the public-school teaching workforce and, together with the institutions, decides how many places public universities offer each year.
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.
The European Parliament is the directly elected legislative body of the European Union, with 720 members (MEPs) elected every five years by citizens of all 27 member states. Portugal elects 21 MEPs through proportional representation.
The Parliament co-legislates with the Council of the EU on most EU law, approves the EU budget, and scrutinizes EU institutions including the European Commission. Its decisions affect Portuguese citizens through EU regulations on trade, agriculture, environmental standards, consumer protection, digital markets, and more.
Portuguese MEPs sit in European political groups aligned with their domestic parties — for example, PS MEPs in the Socialists & Democrats (S&D), PSD/CDS in the European People's Party (EPP), and Chega in the Patriots for Europe group. Key committees where Portuguese interests feature prominently include fisheries, cohesion policy, and economic affairs.
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.
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.
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.
FNE is the National Federation of Education (Federação Nacional da Educação), a major Portuguese teachers' union that represents school staff and negotiates with education authorities. It has asked for an urgent meeting to review rules for Portuguese education abroad, so teachers and families connected to overseas Portuguese schools should follow its actions.
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.
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.
FNE is the National Federation of Education (Federação Nacional da Educação), a major Portuguese teachers' union that represents school staff and negotiates with education authorities. It has asked for an urgent meeting to review rules for Portuguese education abroad, so teachers and families connected to overseas Portuguese schools should follow its actions.
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.
The Socialist Party (Partido Socialista or PS) has demanded urgent clarification from the Minister of Education regarding allegations that national exams with incomplete answers were graded. School principals have also expressed concern over the lack of operational details regarding the exam process, warning that such practices could undermine trust in higher education access.
Health cards are private membership or discount schemes sold by companies that offer access to consultations, tests or reduced fees at private clinics; they are not the public health service. The Socialist Party (Partido Socialista or PS) has proposed regulation to increase transparency and protect consumers from misleading marketing or unexpected charges.
This year's national exams are proving to be a challenge for a Ministry of Education accused by all sector stakeholders, from schools and teachers to parents and students.
The Ministry of Education has ordered an audit by the General Inspectorate of Education and Science (Inspeção-Geral da Educação e Ciência or IGEC) after a question in the national Portuguese exam was found to be identical to one in a study guide. The government admitted an objective failure by the Institute for Education, Quality and Assessment (Instituto de Educação, Qualidade e Avaliação or EduQA) and is investigating whether student equity was compromised.
The IGEC (Inspeção-Geral da Educação e Ciência) is the government body responsible for auditing and overseeing the quality and legality of the Portuguese education and scientific research systems. It acts as an independent watchdog that investigates administrative failures and ensures that educational institutions comply with national regulations.
The EduQA is the institute responsible for the design and management of national exams in Portugal. It oversees the creation of assessment materials and is currently under review following reports of errors in recent examination content.
Registrations for the first phase of the national secondary school exams opened on 6 March and run until 19 March; students may also register for self‑proposed 9th‑grade tests. The Directorate‑General for Education (Direção‑Geral da Educação) published the registration rules: internal and self‑proposed students must register, take a Portuguese exam and choose two additional subjects according to the instructions. Students and parents should complete registrations before the 19 March deadline and follow the DGE guidance on subject choices.
