Latest news and stories about public safety in education in Portugal for expats and residents.
The Ministry of Education has provisionally removed 62 teachers from their posts after an automatic verification process identified criminal records incompatible with working with minors. The Inspectorate-General of Education and Science is now conducting an urgent analysis of all affected cases. This new monitoring procedure was introduced this school year to improve administrative efficiency and digital interoperability.
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.
The Ministério Público (Public Prosecution Service) is Portugal's independent state prosecution body, responsible for leading criminal investigations, bringing charges, and representing the public interest in court.
The MP operates autonomously from the government and the police, though it directs criminal investigations carried out by the Polícia Judiciária, PSP, and GNR. It is led by the Procurador-Geral da República (Attorney General), who is appointed by the President on the government's proposal.
The MP gets involved in high-profile cases including corruption, financial crime, and incidents of potential institutional negligence. It also defends the legality of government actions and protects citizens' fundamental rights through the courts.
A school educational assistant (auxiliar de ação educativa) in Lisbon was arrested by the Judicial Police (Polícia Judiciária or PJ) for the alleged sexual abuse of four young girls. The suspect, who worked in a preschool setting, is accused of committing at least six crimes during April and May while supervising children during nap time.
The PJ (Polícia Judiciária) is Portugal's national criminal investigation police agency, founded in 1945. Operating under the Ministry of Justice and supervised by the Public Ministry (prosecutors), the PJ is a "higher criminal police body" specializing in serious and complex crimes. Mission: The PJ assists judicial and prosecuting authorities by investigating terrorism, organized crime, homicide, kidnapping, drug trafficking, corruption, cybercrime, financial crime, and money laundering. It conducts forensic examinations, operates Portugal's Interpol and Europol liaison offices, and maintains specialized units including the National Counterterrorism Unit and National Anti-Corruption Unit. Difference from PSP/GNR: While PSP (civilian urban police) and GNR (military rural police) focus on preventive policing, public order, and investigating minor crimes, the PJ exclusively handles serious crime investigation requiring specialized technical and scientific expertise. PSP and GNR report to the Ministry of Internal Affairs; PJ reports to the Ministry of Justice. PJ officers receive higher pay and prestige but face greater operational risk.
The GNR recorded 1,657 crimes in schools this year, including around 80 bullying and cyberbullying incidents, urging vigilance for warning signs like mood changes.
An investigation into the lives of a school psychologist and a Zumba instructor who evaded justice for 12 years in Portugal after being convicted of torturing patients at a clinic in Brazil.
A total of 367 PSP officers from the National Unit for Foreigners and Borders have completed their training to reinforce air border control operations at Portuguese airports.
A daycare employee in Sintra is under investigation by the Judicial Police following three parental complaints alleging mistreatment and sexual abuse of children.
The Portuguese government is implementing a new, resilient construction model for school reconstruction, designed to withstand cyclonic winds of up to 200 km/h, earthquakes, and fires, as part of a 1.55 billion euro investment plan.
Former INEM official António Gandra d’Almeida alleges that emergency vehicles are being operated by staff lacking updated driving certifications, contributing to accidents and equipment wear, while other medical professionals criticize the institute's management and funding.
The Government is forming a working group to create guidelines for schools to prohibit activities that contradict educational values, following incidents where 79 public schools hosted digital influencers promoting sexual and misogynistic content. This initiative, outlined by the Ministry of Education and Citizenship (MECI), aims to enhance control over external activities in schools and ensure they align with the mission of promoting democratic citizenship, equity, and inclusion. The group will analyze the legal framework regarding external entities in schools and provide clarity on acceptable activities, with a final report due by March 31.
Approximately 1,800 customers of E-Redes in areas affected by storm Kristin remained without electricity as of 5:00 PM on February 22. The EDP group company stated it is focused on restoring electricity supply. Earlier, 4,500 customers were reported without power. The storms have caused significant damage, resulting in 18 fatalities and affecting 90,000 students due to school closures. The Central, Lisbon and Tagus Valley, and Alentejo regions were the most impacted, with estimated damages in Seixal around 15 million euros.
The old Cerco School, previously inaccessible due to drug-related issues, is being repurposed into a local health unit, marking a significant shift towards improving community health and safety.
Storm Ingrid swept across mainland Portugal, bringing worsening weather that forced the closure of dozens of schools—especially in northern districts—and disrupted transport and public services. This live tracker monitors minute-by-minute developments, reports on emergency services' response, safety advisories for the public, transport interruptions and localised impacts on communities and infrastructure. The page focuses on evolving risks, operational updates from authorities and practical guidance for parents, commuters and vulnerable residents.
The PSP has launched a month‑long school operation, 'Violence? No, thank you!', delivering awareness activities for the whole school community on school-based violence, weapons possession/use and juvenile delinquency. Targeting pupils in the 3rd cycle of basic education and secondary schools, the campaign combines prevention and legal deterrence by warning minors that violent acts can carry criminal consequences. The initiative aims to reduce incidents, improve reporting and engage schools, families and staff in safeguarding measures.
Portugal’s Judicial Police (PJ) has launched a first-of-its-kind campaign to tackle online radicalisation among young people, aiming to alert schools and families to warning signs, raise awareness, prevent recruitment and disrupt extremist influence across digital platforms. The initiative is framed as a preventive, educational and investigative effort combining outreach to educators and parents with targeted policing online. Separately, The Guardian reports heightened international tensions as former US President Trump is reported to be considering military options against Iran following a violent crackdown, underscoring how domestic efforts to shield youth from radicalisation sit alongside broader geopolitical risks.
According to data provided by the PSP, there are approximately 20,600 police officers across the national territory. There are approximately 650 students currently in training for the agent career path.
Data revealed with months of delay contains various curiosities about school performance. We spoke with Iúri Rodrigues, the PSP commander during the protests in Lisbon. There is no majority in the Israeli elections.
The 2025 rankings confirm the dominance of private schools, especially in secondary education. In football, Famalicão defeats Braga on penalties and secures a spot in the League Cup final four.
Affordable rents and living with the elderly: Municipalities have programmes to support students. This is the DN headline. From north to south, municipalities are trying to attract university students with affordable rents, but a single room in private student accommodation can cost up to 1,500 euros in Lisbon and 980 in Porto. The main photo features the police intervention at the camps: Montenegro is confronted with requests for explanations, Neves defends the PSP and Seguro is pressured to comment. Also highlighted is a report on Madeira: to see the island, you have to study it, from the flights of the zino's petrels to life in the depths of the ocean. Download the full electronic edition at the link below. See the front page in detail.
The removal of fiber-cement panels containing asbestos in the old buildings of Cascais Secondary School was suspended last Friday.
This year, the GNR recorded nearly 1,700 incidents, 80 of which were bullying and cyberbullying crimes. Setúbal, Porto, and Castelo Branco are the districts with the highest criminality in the school environment.
The majority of the victims were between 11 and 14 years old.
The Portuguese Association for Victim Support (APAV) supported 100 victims of bullying in 2025, the majority being girls between the ages of 11 and 14, according to data released today, World Day of Bullying Prevention.
The record was made by the GNR and this year alone 72 are associated with bullying practices.
The Portuguese Association for Victim Support (APAV) assisted 100 victims of bullying in 2025, mostly girls aged between 11 and 14, according to data released this Tuesday, World Day of Bullying Prevention. The statistics highlight that verbal violence was the most common form of abuse, followed by physical and social violence, and cyberbullying. The organization emphasizes the importance of early identification and coordinated responses between schools, families, and the community to tackle these issues.
Setúbal was the district with the highest number of registered bullying cases
On the day dedicated to raising awareness against aggressive, intentional, and repeated behaviour, the Bullying.pt project, created in 2022 by psychologist Luís Fernandes, promotes awareness campaigns from preschool to higher education, as well as training for school professionals.
Setúbal (10), Porto (nine), Castelo Branco and Lisbon (both with eight), and Santarém (seven) were the districts with the highest number of cases.
Bullying is not classified as a crime under criminal law. The GNR warns that warning signs are silent and appeals for “attentive monitoring” by the school community.
SOS Amianto reiterates the request for the suspension of work and lists serious irregularities detected on-site, days after Civil Protection guaranteed the safety of the school grounds.
The association claims there is no evidence that safety is guaranteed.
Portugal’s Public Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation into allegations of mistreatment of children at a school in Lisbon, following a complaint by a former employee. The investigation concerns Externato The post Lisbon school investigated over horrific child abuse allegations appeared first on Portugal Resident.
