Latest news and stories about education quality in work in Portugal for expats and residents.
Public schools and preschools across Portugal may close on Monday due to a 24-hour strike by non-teaching staff. The walkout, called by the National Union of Education Professionals (Sindicato Nacional dos Profissionais de Educação or SINAPE), includes administrative assistants and operational staff. Several schools have already warned parents to anticipate closures or service disruptions.
Three Portuguese business schools placed among the world's top 100 programmes in the 2026 Financial Times Executive MBA ranking. Iscte Executive Education reached 55th place globally, rising 26 spots to lead Portugal's business schools. The joint programme from Católica Lisbon School of Business and Economics and Nova School of Business and Economics, alongside Porto Business School, also maintained places on the global list.
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.
Nova SBE (Nova School of Business and Economics) is the business school of Universidade Nova de Lisboa, based in Carcavelos; it has a modern campus opened in 2018 and is one of Portugal’s leading business schools. Its surveys and research—like the healthcare access study cited in the news—are often used in public policy debates, so expats will see Nova SBE data quoted in media and policy discussions.
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.
Luís Filipe Montenegro Cardoso de Morais Esteves (born February 16, 1973, in Porto) is a Portuguese lawyer and center‑right politician who has served as Prime Minister of Portugal since April 2, 2024. A long‑time member of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), he is the leading figure of the post‑Troika generation of Portuguese conservatives. Montenegro was elected to the Assembly of the Republic in 2002 for the Aveiro district and remained an MP for 16 years, becoming PSD parliamentary leader from 2011 to 2017 during the bailout and austerity period under Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho. He was a prominent defender of strict austerity measures, arguing in 2014 that “the life of the people is no better, but the life of the country is a lot better,” a phrase that has followed his public image since. After an unsuccessful leadership bid against Rui Rio in 2020, Montenegro won the PSD leadership in 2022. He then forged the centre‑right Democratic Alliance (PSD–CDS‑PP and allies), which won a plurality of seats in the 2024 legislative election. Refusing to partner with the far‑right Chega, which he has called “often xenophobic, racist, populist and excessively demagogic,” he formed a minority government as head of the XXIV Constitutional Government on April 2, 2024. His first government fell in March 2025 after a no‑confidence vote linked to a conflict‑of‑interest affair, but fresh elections saw the Democratic Alliance increase its seat share, allowing Montenegro to return as prime minister leading the XXV Constitutional Government. His importance to Portugal lies in attempting to re‑center the traditional centre‑right after the crisis years, defending liberal‑conservative economics and EU alignment while drawing a sharp line against formal cooperation with the radical right, thus shaping how Portuguese democracy manages its new multi‑party era.
Paulo Raimundo is the Secretary-General of the Portuguese Communist Party (Partido Comunista Português or PCP), a position he has held since November 2022. He is a career politician and former trade unionist who succeeded Jerónimo de Sousa as the leader of the party.
The government will provide overtime pay to teachers grading national exams as recognition for their extraordinary effort during the current assessment period. This measure, confirmed by the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation (Ministério da Educação, Ciência e Inovação or MECI), follows an announcement by Social Democratic Party (Partido Social Democrata or PSD) spokesperson Sebastião Bugalho.
The Social Democratic Party ('Partido Social Democrata' or 'PSD') is a liberal-conservative political party in Portugal that is the leading partner of the The Democratic Alliance (AD) which is the country's ruling party, with Prime Minister Luís Montenegro.
The Social Democratic Party, despite its name, occupies the centre-right of Portugal's political spectrum. Luís Montenegro, who became Prime Minister in April 2024, leads Portugal's current minority government. The PSD has been one of Portugal's two dominant parties since 1974, having formed nine governments including four with absolute majorities. Montenegro, a former party leader from 1996-1999, was elected with the highest approval rating among party leaders at 10.7 points out of 20.
The Democratic Alliance is a centre-right coalition that includes the smaller CDS – People's Party, a Christian democratic party that has historically been the PSD's coalition partner. Together, they govern without a parliamentary majority, requiring case-by-case support from opposition parties to pass legislation.
Sebastião Bugalho is a journalist and political commentator who currently serves as a member of the European Parliament for the Social Democratic Party (Partido Social Democrata or PSD). He was elected in June 2024 after leading the party's list in the European elections.
The Ministry of Education has finalized the placement of over 5,400 teachers in areas facing the greatest staff shortages, with 3,938 of these positions located in the Lisbon and Setúbal regions. Minister Fernando Alexandre noted that these early placements are intended to facilitate better planning for the upcoming school year.
The Nova School of Business & Economics (Nova School of Business & Economics or Nova SBE) has reached the top 10 in the latest Financial Times ranking for executive education, marking its highest position to date. Portugal now has six institutions featured in the global list, with the Católica Porto Business School making its debut this year.
Nova SBE (Nova School of Business and Economics) is the business school of Universidade Nova de Lisboa, based in Carcavelos; it has a modern campus opened in 2018 and is one of Portugal’s leading business schools. Its surveys and research—like the healthcare access study cited in the news—are often used in public policy debates, so expats will see Nova SBE data quoted in media and policy discussions.
The National Federation of Teachers (Federação Nacional dos Professores or Fenprof) has announced a national demonstration for May 16 to protest the government's revision of the teaching career statute (Estatuto da Carreira Docente). The union also warned of potential strikes during the upcoming third school term if negotiations regarding working hours and job security do not improve. Parents and students should note that Fenprof will also join a general protest organized by the General Confederation of Portuguese Workers (Confederação Geral dos Trabalhadores Portugueses or CGTP) in April.
Fenprof is the National Federation of Teachers (Federação Nacional dos Professores), the main public‑school teachers' union in Portugal that represents teachers in pay, working conditions and education reforms. Its criticism matters because Fenprof can organize strikes and mobilise teachers, which directly affects school operations and the implementation of government changes — something families and expat educators should monitor.
CGTP (Confederação Geral dos Trabalhadores Portugueses – Intersindical Nacional) regularly publishes studies and proposals on labor market conditions, wages, working time, and employment rights. These reports are used to support the union confederation's negotiating positions with the government and employers.
CGTP studies typically cover topics such as minimum wage adequacy, working hours reform, collective bargaining trends, social security sustainability, and the impact of proposed labor law changes on workers. The confederation uses this research to advocate for positions in tripartite social dialogue (Concertação Social) alongside the UGT union confederation and employer groups.
These publications are significant because they often shape public debate ahead of labor reforms and can influence the pace and direction of legislative changes.
A general public sector strike (greve da função pública) scheduled for Monday, March 23, is expected to cause significant disruptions across Portugal. The Federation of Independent Unions of Public Administration (Federação Nacional de Sindicatos Independentes da Administração Pública or Fesinap) warns that healthcare and education will be heavily affected. Those with pending immigration or citizenship processes at the Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo (AIMA) or the Institute of Registries and Notaries (Instituto dos Registos e do Notariado or IRN) should prepare for delays or rescheduling.
Education Minister Fernando Alexandre announced that a major restructuring has reduced the ministry's staff by 50% and will save €50 million annually. The reform consolidated 18 entities into seven, focusing on the digitalization of human resources and administrative services. Parents and students should note that these changes aim to improve the efficiency of the National Education System.
The Porto Business School's Global Online MBA reached sixth place worldwide in the Financial Times Online MBA Ranking 2026. The program was ranked first globally for 'Value for Money' and 'overall satisfaction', with alumni reporting a 28% average salary increase three years after graduation. Students should note it is the only Portuguese institution featured in this specific global ranking.
Fenprof, the National Federation of Teachers, says some teachers in artistic and vocational education have been kept on fixed‑term contracts (contratos a termo) for up to 15 years, a practice Fenprof warns breaches EU community directives. The federation's secretary‑general raised the issue to highlight long‑term instability in that sector. Teachers working in arts and vocational schools and parents of pupils should be aware this dispute could prompt inspections or legal challenges.
Fenprof is the National Federation of Teachers (Federação Nacional dos Professores), the main public‑school teachers' union in Portugal that represents teachers in pay, working conditions and education reforms. Its criticism matters because Fenprof can organize strikes and mobilise teachers, which directly affects school operations and the implementation of government changes — something families and expat educators should monitor.
A fixed-term contract is an employment agreement that ends on a specific date or when a defined task is finished, rather than continuing indefinitely. EU rules (notably Directive 1999/70/EC) aim to prevent long-term use of successive fixed-term contracts without objective reasons, so teachers kept on fixed-term contracts for many years — like the 15 years mentioned by the National Federation of Teachers (Federação Nacional dos Professores or Fenprof) — may have legal grounds to challenge that practice. For expat teachers, fixed-term work means less job security and usual benefits may be limited, so check contract length, renewal terms and consider union or legal advice if you suspect abuse.
