The Minister of Education announced that the merger of the first and second cycles of basic education will be tested starting from the 2027/2028 school year. This measure represents a significant change in the structure of the Portuguese education system.
The merger of the two cycles implies the creation of a single cycle covering grades 1 through 6. Until now, the first cycle corresponded to grades 1 through 4 and the second cycle to grades 5 and 6.
According to the minister, this reorganization will necessarily imply changes in the curriculum framework of basic education. The specific details about which subjects or contents will be affected were not mentioned in the announcement.
The measure aims to change the traditional structure of basic education in Portugal, modifying the way students progress through the first years of schooling.
