Teacher shortage weighs heavier in the Algarve, Lisbon and Setúbal
One week before classes start in Portugal, more than two thousand positions remain unfilled in Portuguese schools, with the regions of the Algarve, Lisbon and Setúbal among the most affected by the teacher shortage. The Minister of Education, Science and Innovation, Fernando Alexandre, guaranteed that there are available teachers to meet the needs and that a more rigorous assessment will be possible after the placement contest scheduled for the end of the week.
Fernando Alexandre, who was speaking on the sidelines of the presentation of a study on higher professional technical courses at the Thalia Theatre in Lisbon, expressed confidence in the system's response capacity, emphasizing that the remaining availability of teachers will allow covering the needs. The minister also announced that, starting September 18th, teacher placements will become daily, reducing the time students are without a teacher.
The National Education Federation requested clarification from the Ministry on the number of missing teachers and demanded measures to favor the retention of teachers in the most underserved regions. In response, the minister highlighted several initiatives already adopted, including the payment of 20 million euros in overtime hours, the payment of tuition fees for students enrolled in education courses, the professionalization of teachers with only legal qualification, and measures to increase the attractiveness of the teaching career.
The minister acknowledged that the teacher shortage is linked to the low completion rate of secondary education in these regions, according to data from the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation, and advocated for targeted government policies, such as relocation support specifically created for teachers relocated to the Algarve, Lisbon and Setúbal, where it is more difficult to afford housing.
