Two million students attend the Portuguese education system, but at different speeds depending on the region of the country. A report by Pordata, from the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation, reveals that in southern Portugal it is more difficult to complete secondary education within the expected timeframes. The secondary education completion rate is lower in the regions of Lisbon, Setúbal and the Algarve.
The report also indicates that there are fewer students in the lowest socioeconomic brackets and a significant increase in students in higher education, particularly of foreign nationality. These data reflect changes in the composition of the Portuguese school population.
The data confirm that the postal code still significantly influences the school path of Portuguese students. Strong territorial differences persist in various educational indicators, from the transition between education levels to the completion of studies.
In addition to regional disparities, the report also identifies challenges in the renewal of basic and secondary education teachers as a structural concern of the Portuguese education system.
