One week before the start of classes, more than two thousand schedules remain to be filled in Portuguese schools, according to the Minister of Education, Fernando Alexandre. In statements made on the sidelines of an event in Lisbon, the official stated that there is availability of teachers to cover these needs and referred a more precise assessment to the end of the week, when another placement competition will take place.
The National Education Federation had requested clarification from the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation on the number of teachers needed. In response, Fernando Alexandre listed measures already implemented, including the payment of 20 million euros in overtime hours, the payment of tuition fees for students enrolled in education courses, and the professionalization of teachers with only legal qualifications.
The minister argued that one of the priorities is to shorten the time between identifying needs in schools and the actual placement of teachers. Starting September 18, placements will be made daily, reducing the period during which students go without a teacher. Fernando Alexandre warned that teachers who wait months for placement frequently give up on the profession.
The regions of Lisbon, Setúbal and Algarve are the most affected by the shortage of teachers and have the lowest secondary education completion rates, a reality that the minister acknowledged is interconnected. The Government has adopted specific measures for these areas, such as travel support for relocated teachers. The article also mentions difficulties for foreign students, especially Brazilians, in enrolling in higher education due to regularization processes with AIMA, and the low participation in the special exam season, which the minister interpreted as confirmation that the problems have been resolved.
