Public schools news in Portugal

In Marvila, over 300 primary school students are without a teacher, and some are being told to stay home

Behind the scenes of the PISA numbers: "To this day, I don't really know how we managed to get such good results in 2015"

One in seven students in Portuguese public schools is of foreign nationality

Principals can now open tenders to hire psychologists, therapists, and IT technicians

1st-cycle pupils to have Physical Education from next school year

Schools in Lisbon are leaking. City Council says it is preparing interventions

Flooding and water seepage caused by rain led to the closure of two schools on Tuesday. The PCP is questioning the local authority about problems that have been dragging on for several years.

The school has died. Long live the school!

At four years old, children ask up to four hundred questions a day. But do those who manage public schools ask questions when evaluating their performance?

Erradicating indiscipline: the teachers' moment of truth

The seeds sown will only become resilient if other teachers dare to entrust many more students and families to dignified and prosperous futures, as we are living in the days of 'The Reform of Reforms'.

Who is in charge of your child's school? Nobody

What distinguishes schools is not in any decree; it is in the standards they maintain and the autonomy they are allowed to exercise.

School rankings do not tell the whole story

Every year, the release of school rankings triggers analysis and debate, yet essential policy solutions for structural education issues remain absent. Private schools continue to dominate while public schools rank lower, a discrepancy Minister of Education Fernando Alexandre attributes to the unequal conditions under which public schools operate. These institutions face greater challenges, including supporting students with special needs and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds, often without adequate resources. Regional disparities in teacher shortages, driven by high living costs, and the impact of strikes further complicate the academic continuity for public school students. Rather than more diagnoses, the public school system requires decisive action to address these structural shortcomings.

Ministry of Education to have data on students without classes by December 14

There are still 265 teaching positions to be filled, of which 164 are full-time schedules, with half concerning primary school classes.

Fenprof criticises school rankings, claiming they stigmatise public institutions

The National Federation of Teachers (Fenprof) argues that school rankings stigmatise institutions and discredit the work of teachers. In a statement, the union claimed that rankings highlight inequalities derived from national exams that prioritise, exclude students, and neglect healthy learning and continuous assessment. Fenprof contends these rankings promote individualism and competition over cooperation. An analysis of 2025 exam data by Lusa shows only four public schools among the top 50, with the first appearing at 38th place. The federation reiterated that such lists reinforce the ideological prejudice that private education is superior to public, ultimately serving to boost the private education sector. Furthermore, the analysis indicates that schools in lower socioeconomic areas suffer most from teacher shortages, though most public schools still manage to mitigate the impact of poverty on academic outcomes. Fenprof called for increased investment in public education, condemning the proposed 80% budget cut for 2027, while praising teachers for their commitment to providing quality education despite these challenges.

Exams: Fenprof says rankings stigmatise schools

Among the top 50, there are only four public schools. For Fenprof, the rankings reinforce the “prejudice” that private is good and public is bad.

Rankings: Minister warns of “unequal competition” between public and private schools

The Minister of Education opposed simplistic interpretations of school rankings, arguing that there is “unequal competition” between public and private schools because the former work under “much more difficult” conditions. Fernando Alexandre was speaking in the morning during a visit to the José Macedo Fragateiro Secondary School in the municipality of Ovar, Aveiro district, where...

It is an uneven competition: minister criticises comparison between public and private schools

Fernando Alexandre points out that public educational institutions operate under much more difficult conditions

Comparing performance between private and public schools is a mistake, says Minister of Education

The Minister of Education argues that direct comparisons between the performance of private and public educational institutions are flawed.

School rankings are "fallacious and almost dishonest", says president of the headteachers' association

Filinto Lima considers it unfair to compare public and private schools based solely on exam grades

The 'secrets' of the Porto Music Conservatory for topping the public school rankings

Bruna Pereira's day may start with Portuguese lessons and end with her playing the bassoon in a concert. The student is not surprised that the Porto Music Conservatory is the top-ranked public school this year. 'We have a work rhythm here that people in other schools do not have...'

3h School Ranking: Public schools improve in secondary education exams

An update on the annual school rankings shows that public institutions have seen improved performance in secondary school examinations.

Schools where poverty most impacts academic success suffer from teacher shortages

Most public schools manage to counteract the impact of poverty on academic failure, but the institutions where the socioeconomic context penalises students the most are also those that suffer most from a lack of teachers.

Public school with the highest average appears in 38th place in the ranking

It is the Monção Secondary School, in the Viana do Castelo district, with a score of 14.08. This is the first time it has reached the top spot among public schools.

Students protest for better conditions at Soares dos Reis School

Without keys, the school is closed and students are protesting at the doors. They demand better facility conditions, reporting ceilings that let water through. They also ask for the necessary study materials to be provided free of charge.

Shortage of primary school teachers continues: over 240 classes lack a teacher

There are still six thousand primary school students without a teacher, according to Fenprof. Schools continue to merge classes and redistribute resources. In Marvila, classes without assigned teachers are being taught by secondary school educators.

Missão Escola Pública demands guarantees to prevent failures in the 2027 national exams

The Missão Escola Pública (MEP) questioned the Ministry of Education today about what is being done to prevent a repeat of the problems that occurred during this summer's national exam season.

Students are left without classes while over eight thousand teachers remain unplaced

There are more than eight thousand teachers yet to be placed in schools in Portugal, yet some students continue to have no classes, reports the Diário de Notícias (DN) this Monday. Data from the MetaProf platform, based on recruitment reserve lists published by the Agency for the Management of the Education System, highlights a paradox in education.

Between stress and contempt: no one wants to be a teacher

The OECD states that educational systems are only as good as their teachers. It is worth it for the decision-makers to read the report to the end and listen to those in the classroom.

Portugal schools receive 380 new enrolments in one week

Home News Portugal schools receive 380 new enrolments in one week Portugal schools receive 380 new enrolments in one week Almost a month into the school year, children are still arriving in Portugal’s public education system in significant numbers.

There are still 1,300 teacher vacancies to be filled, 563 since the start of the school year

The Minister admits that teachers with specific qualifications may end up teaching in the first cycle and says that Moda exams will have to be taken earlier so that results reach schools on time.