Education Minister Fernando Alexandre publicly acknowledged that the teacher shortage in Portugal will persist for "a few years," admitting that the problem remains without a solution in sight. The scarcity is most pronounced in primary education (1st cycle), where the lack of teachers is felt most intensely.
To address the situation, the minister pointed to the use of overtime hours and investment in more teacher training as the main responses to tackle the deficit of teachers in the Portuguese education system.
The Ministry of Education revealed that, in the year 2026, the State spent 20 million euros on teacher overtime hours, highlighting the significant weight that this temporary solution represents for the public budget and the system's dependence on this measure.
