Education in portugal wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Education in Portugal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Portugal

Education in Portugal
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Education in Portugal is regulated by the State through two ministries - the Ministry of Education, and the
Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education. There are a system of public education and also
many private schools at all levels of education. The first Portuguese medieval universities were created in
the 13th century, and the national higher education system is fully integrated into the European Higher
Education Area. The basic literacy rate of the Portuguese population is 93%, however the functional literacy
is amongst the lowest in Europe. According to official sources in 2007, 64% of the population had never
read a single book[citation needed]; within the population component that is functionally literate, only 17.9%
read more than two books in one year (data collected by Marktest for TSF). According to INE (Portuguese
Institute for National Statistics), only 3.7 million Portuguese workers (67% of the working active population)
completed basic education (81% of the working population attainned the lower basic level of education and
12% attained the intermediate level of education). According to the OECD's Programme for International
Student Assessment (PISA) 2009, the average Portuguese 15-years old student, when rated in terms of
reading literacy, mathematics and science knowledge, is placed at the same level as those students from the
United States, Sweden, Germany, Ireland, France, Denmark, United Kingdom, Hungary and Taipei, with 489
points (493 is the average).[1] Despite its gradual modernization and relative expansion since the 1960s, the
educational system remained underdeveloped until the 2000s when it finally reached the World's best
practices and trends.

Contents
1 History
2 Pre-primary education
3 Pre-higher education
3.1 Basic education
3.1.1 Subjects List
3.1.2 1º Ciclo - 1st Cycle[3]
3.1.3 2º Ciclo - 2nd Cycle
3.1.4 3º Ciclo - 3rd Cycle
3.2 Secondary education
3.2.1 General Courses
3.2.2 Technological Courses
3.3 Other types of school education
4 Higher education
4.1 Overview
4.2 University and polytechnic
4.3 The Bologna process in Portugal
4.4 Degree significance
4.5 Admission
4.5.1 With secondary school credential
4.5.2 Extraordinary exam process
5 Teacher education
6 Non-traditional studies
7 Private vs. public
8 School violence
8.1 School safety

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9 Foreign international schools in Portugal Education in Portugal
10 Criticism
11 Notes and references
12 Sources
13 See also
14 External links
Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Science

Minister Nuno Crato (2011- )
History
National education budget (2006)

In the beginnings of the Portuguese nationality, the Budget €6.1 billion
Christian clergy was the main player in the General Details
educational endeavour. Portuguese universities
Primary Languages Portuguese
have existed since 1290. Within the scope of the
Portuguese Empire, the Portuguese founded in System Type Central
1792 the oldest engineering school of Latin Origins 12th century2 (established)
America (the Real Academia de Artilharia, University Schools 12903 (established)
Fortificação e Desenho), as well as the oldest Polytechnic Schools 1837 to 19114
medical college of Asia (the Goa Medical College) Industrial Institutes 1852 to 19745
in 1842. Polytechnical Institutes 1970s - 1980s6 (established)
Major reorganizations 1990s and 2000s7
However, by the end of the 19th century the Bologna process 20078 (established)
illiteracy rate was at over 80 percent and higher Literacy (2003)
education was reserved for a small percentage of
Total 92.5
the population. 68.1 percent of Portugal's
population was still classified as illiterate by the Male 95
1930 census. Female 90
Portugal's literacy rate by the 1940s and early
Enrollment
1950s was low for North American and Western
European standards at the time. From the 1960s, Total 1,930,645
the country made public education available for Primary 767,872
all children between the ages of six and twelve, Secondary 766,172
expanded a robust network of industrial and
commercial technical schools aimed at Post Secondary 396,601

intermediate education of future skilled workers Attainment
(ensino médio), recognized the Portuguese Secondary diploma 15%
Catholic University in 1971, and by 1973 a wave
Post-secondary diploma 9%
of new state-run universities were founded across
1
mainland Portugal (the Minho University, the New The Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Science covers all
University of Lisbon, the University of Évora, and education levels including higher education, as well as Science and
the University of Aveiro - Veiga Simão was the technology in Portugal.
2
Minister in charge for education by then). From The first medieval schools were catholic church related, including the
first medieval university established in 1290.
the 1960s to the 1974 Carnation Revolution, 3
Portuguese universities have existed since 1290. The oldest such
secondary and university education experienced
institution, the University of Coimbra, was first established in Lisbon
the fastest growth of Portuguese education's
before moving to Coimbra. Historically, within the scope of the now
history. After 1974 the number of basic and
defunct Portuguese Empire, the Portuguese founded in 1792 the oldest
secondary schools as well as of higher education engineering school of Latin America (the Real Academia de Artilharia,
institutions, increased until the end of the century, Fortificação e Desenho), as well as the oldest medical college of Asia
sometimes without the necessary allocation of (the Escola Médico-Cirúrgica de Goa) in 1842.
quality material and qualified human resources. 4
Two Polytechnic Schools were originally created in 1837 in Lisbon
Anyway, education more than basic (4th or 6th and Porto, and were later merged into the Universities of Lisbon and
grade) wasn't really affordable for most Porto created in 1911.
5
The Industrial Institutes were created in 1852. Discontinued the

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Portuguese families, the real democratization of
education, specially secondary and higher industrial vocational studies policy, they will gave bird to some of the
older schools and institutes that compose today's Polytechnic
education, only happened in the 1980s. After
Institutes. Some faculties of Lisbon's universities also originated from
mid-2000s programs of modernization of schools
the original Instituto Industrial de Lisboa.
(basic and secondary) and the construction of new 6
The Polytechnic Institutes were created during the 1970s and 1980s
elementary schools called "educational centres" as groups of new and existing institutes and schools.
(mostly to reduce the number of overloaded 7
Several reforms and reorganizations of the overall educational system
elementary schools, to widespread the 9 AM to were performed, including changes on the polytechnics competences,
5h30 PM schedule system, because in most introduction of new exams in basic and secondary schools, and
overloaded schools there are classes with 8 AM-1 extensive changes in the curricula of all levels of education.
PM schedule and other with 1 PM-6 PM) are 8
The Bologna process lead to a new wave of reforms and changes in
being held. education since the late 1990s onwards, specially in the universities
The Bologna process for higher education has and polytechnics.
been adopted since 2006. However the higher-
education rate in the country still remains the lowest in the European Union, this rate was around 7% in
2003 (Source: OECD (2003) Education at a Glance and OECD Statistical Compendium), and improved to
11% in 2007 - as compared to Slovakia's and Slovenia's around 16%; Germany's, Estonia, Spain's and
Ireland's 28%; or Belgium's, Netherland's, Denmark's, Finland's, Cyprus's and UK's, over 30% (Source:
EuroStat, March 2007). According to the OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA),
the average Portuguese 15-years old student was for many years underrated and underachieving in terms of
reading literacy, mathematics and science knowledge in the OECD, nearly tied with the Italian and just
above those from countries like Greece, Turkey and Mexico. However, since 2010, PISA results for
Portuguese students improved dramatically.[1] The Portuguese Ministry of Education announced a 2010
report published by its office for educational evaluation GAVE (Gabinete de Avaliação do Ministério da
Educação) which criticized the results of PISA 2009 report and claimed that the average Portugese teenage
student had profund handicaps in terms of expression, communication and logic, as well as a low
performance when asked to solve problems. They also claimed that those fallacies are not exclusive of
Portugal but indeed occur in other countries due to the way PISA was designed.[2]

Pre-primary education
Pre-primary education is optional from the ages of three to five, and is provided in both state-run and private
nursery schools. State-run nursery provision is free of charge; fees are payable for private nursery schools.
The schools are known as Jardins-de-Infância (Kindergartens). Most international schools offer an
international approach to pre-primary learning and follow a curriculum such as the International Preschool
Curriculum or International Baccalaureate.

Pre-higher education
Basic Education lasts for nine years divided into three stages of four, two and three years respectively. The
stages are respectively Ensino Básico – 1º Ciclo; Ensino Básico – 2º Ciclo and Ensino Básico – 3º Ciclo. A
Diploma/Certificate is awarded at the end of the third stage. Secondary education - public, private and
cooperative - is compulsory and consists of a three-year cycle after basic education. Access is through the
Certificate of Basic Education. There are two types of courses: general courses and technical/vocational
courses, providing instruction in technical, technological, professional fields and in the Portuguese language
and culture. Permeability between the courses is guaranteed. The teaching and practice of technical,
technological or artistic courses are provided by vocational schools and special schools for education in Arts.
Courses are sanctioned by the Certificado de Habilitações do Ensino Secundário/Diploma de Ensino
Secundário (Secondary School Credential/Diploma), which is the prerequisite for access to higher education
through national access examination (people aged 23 and over can apply to higher education institutions
through other special examination, even without the Secondary School Credential/Diploma).

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Basic education

In Portugal, Basic Education consists of nine years of schooling divided into three sequential cycles of
education of four, two and three years.

Children aged six by 15 September must be enrolled in their first school year in that calendar year. In
addition, children who reach the age of six between 16 September and 31 December may be authorized to
attend the first stage of education, provided a request is submitted by their parents or guardians to the school
nearest to their residence (or place of work) during the annual enrollment period. State-run schools are free
of charge; private school tuition is refunded by the State in part or fully, when state-run schools in the area
are filled to capacity. The first cycle of basic mandatory education covers years 1st-4th, the second cycle
years 5th-6th and the third cycle years 7th-9th. The curriculum contains only general education until the 9th
year at which point vocational subjects are introduced.

Schools do not give (or sell) any books or materials; financial assistance is available for poorer families. The
school books are chosen at school's level every four years.

1st Cycle State-run schools are owned by the municipalities; all other State-run schools are owned by the
State.

At State-run schools, 1st Cycle students and sometimes students of other cycles get free mid-morning or
mid-afternoon snacks, generally consisting of a 20 cl milk carton.

Subjects List

1º Ciclo - 1st Cycle[3]

Compulsory subjects:

Portuguese Language
(Physical and Social) Environment Study
Mathematics
Physical and Artistic Education

Personal and Social Education:

Project Area
Accompanied Study
Citizenship Education

Subjects like English, Musical Education, Physical Education among others are offered according to school
resources and are part of Enrichment Activities.

Catholic (or other confessions) Moral and Religious Education are optional.

2º Ciclo - 2nd Cycle

Portuguese Language

Mathematics

History and Geography of Portugal

Foreign Language I / English (levels 1 and 2)

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Natural Sciences

Visual and Technological Education (Arts and Crafts)

Physical Education

Musical Education

Personal and Social Development or Catholic (or other confessions) Moral and Religious
Education (facultative)

Project Area

Accompanied Study

Civic Education

3º Ciclo - 3rd Cycle

7th and 8th years

Portuguese Language

Mathematics

Foreign Language I - English (levels 3 and 4)

Foreign Language II - French or Spanish or German (levels 1 and 2 - some schools may offer only
2 or 1 of the options)

Natural Sciences

History

Geography

Physics/Chemistry

Visual Education (Arts)

Another artistic subject ( Music, Theatre, Dance...) - not offered by some schools

Technological Education (Hand Works)

Physical Education

Education (Facultative)

Project Area

Accompanished Study

Civic Education

9th Year

Same subjects, plus:

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Information and Communication Technologies.

Option among Visual Education, Music/Theatre or Dance and Technological Education.

(or between the first and the third, in some schools)

Secondary education

It is only after the 9th grade of basic schooling that the Portuguese General Education system branches out
into different secondary programmes, one higher education-oriented (general secondary
courses/programmes) and the other more work-oriented (technological secondary courses/programmes). The
conclusion of secondary education (general or technological courses) with passing grades confers a diploma,
which will certificate the qualification thus obtained and, in the case of work-oriented programmes the
qualification for specific jobs. All General and Technological courses share the following subjects known as
General Formation:

Portuguese Language

Philosophy (10th and 11th years)

Physical Education

Foreign Language I or II (10th and 11th years)

Education (as above, facultative)

General Courses

Sciences and Technologies (I or II) - specific subjects: Biology-Geology (I), Physics-Chemistry(I
and II), Math (A), Biology (12th grade option), Geology (12th grade option), Psychology (12th
grade option), Physics (12th grade option), Chemistry (12th grade option) or Descriptive
Geometry (II).

Social and Human sciences - History, Geography, Literature, Math Applied to Social Sciences,
Psychology (12th grade option), Law (12th grade option)

Socio-Economic Sciences - Economy, Geography

Visual Arts - Drawing, Descriptive Geometry (I), Math (B) or Art History

Technological Courses

Civil Construction

Electronics

Computing

Equipment Design

Multimedia

Administration

Marketing

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Environment and Territory Order

Social action

Sport, among others.

Other types of school education

There are also special modalities of school education. The programmes offered by vocational schools, those
of the apprenticeship system and those of recurrent studies are considered as a special modality of school
education. These programmes are not regular, because they are not included in the mainstream regular
progression of the education system to which they are an alternative given that they were designed to
respond to specific educational needs of different target-groups of the population.

All of these programmes offer initial vocational and education training, although the recurrent studies also
offer general education. Recurrent education consists of non-regular programmes of study or modular or
single units because they are not complete training cycles and they are not included in the regular
progression of the education system. The recurrent education provides a second opportunity of training for
those who did not undertake training at the normal age or who left school early. Recurrent education covers
the three cycles of basic education and the secondary education.

The recurrent education is characterized by the flexibility and adaptability to the students’ learning cycle,
availability, knowledge and experiences. The recurrent secondary education branches into two types of
courses: the general course for those who want to continue their studies and the technical courses that are
work-oriented and confer a level III vocational certificate, although they also permit the access to higher
education. Any of the secondary courses, vocational courses, apprenticeship courses (level III), recurrent
courses and others (artistic and those of technological schools) share a three-dimensional structure (although
the importance of each dimension could vary according to the specific course):

a) general / socio-cultural

b) specific / scientific

c) technical / technological / practical / vocational

The Portuguese educational/vocational system is open. This means that once any student finishes his/her
basic studies successfully he/she can choose, freely, any kind of course in any training domain/area. Any
secondary course completed successfully allows the student apply to any course of higher education,
independently of the training domain the student chose in the secondary level of education.

In Portugal initial vocational education and training can be divided into two main modalities according to the
Ministry responsible for the training:

a) Initial vocational education and training in the education system (under the regulation of the Ministry of
Education): - The technological secondary courses are work-oriented and confer qualification for specific
jobs, which correspond to the E.U. level III of vocational qualifications. There are eleven technological
courses in the domain of natural sciences, arts, social-economic sciences and humanities; - The vocational
schools courses are a special modality of education that has a primary goal: the development of youngsters’
vocational training. In this type of course the students spend most of their time in practical, technological,
technical and artistic training, which allows the development of specific skills indispensable to an
occupation. The vocational courses are drawn to give answers to both local and regional labour market
needs. These courses function under the regulation of the Ministry of Education, although under the direct
initiative and responsibility of civil society institutions, such as municipalities, enterprises, trade unions, etc.
The vocational courses are available in the third cycle of basic education (level II) – only a few - and in the
secondary education (level III). - The technical recurrent courses. In the secondary education, the recurrent

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studies branches into two different types of courses: the general courses and the technical courses. The latter
are work-oriented, vocationally oriented to confer a level III vocational certificate; - The courses of initial
qualification can be promoted by schools lecturing the third cycle of mandatory education. If it is necessary,
schools can establish protocols with other institutions such as municipalities, enterprises or vocational
training centres. These courses are open to a) youngsters who have a 9th grade diploma, without any
vocational qualification, and who do not intend to continue their studies; and b) youngsters who, having
reached fifteen years of age and attended the 9th grade, did not achieve the basic education certificate.

b) Initial vocational education and training in the labour market (under the regulation of the Ministry of
Labour and Social Solidarity through the Institute of Employment and Vocational Training): - Apprenticeship
system. The apprenticeship courses are part of an initial vocational training system alternating between the
school and the workplace, addressing mainly youngsters aged between fifteen and twenty five years who are
not included in the mandatory school system. The training process alternates between the
professional/vocational (where the socio-cultural, scientific-technological and the practice training in
training context takes place) and the workplace (where the practice training in work context takes place).

In the mid 2000s, education policy was reorganised aiming more choice and better quality in vocational
technical education. Enhanced and improved technical education programs where implemented in 2007 in
an effort to revitalize this sector which had been almost discontinued after the Carnation Revolution of 1974,
when many vocational technical schools were administratively upgraded to higher education technical
colleges and other were simply closed. This happened despite those vocational technical schools have been
generally regarded as reputed institutions with a record of very high standards in vocational technical
education across the decades they were supplying the technical labor needs of the country.

Higher education
Main article: Higher education in Portugal

Overview

Higher education in Portugal is divided into two main subsystems:
university and polytechnic education, and it is provided in
autonomous public universities, private universities, public or private
university institutes, polytechnic institutions and higher education
institutions of other types. The university system has a strong
theoretical basis and is highly research-oriented; the non-university
system provides a more practical training and is profession-oriented.
Degrees in some fields such as medicine, law, natural sciences,
economics, psychology or veterinary are university. Other fields like
engineering, technology, management, education, agriculture, sports, The tower of the University of
or humanities are found both in university and polytechnic systems. Coimbra
Nursing, preschool education, accounting technician, or health care
technician degrees, are only offered in the polytechnic system. The
oldest university is the University of Coimbra founded in 1290, and the biggest by number of enrolled
students is the University of Porto with about 28,000 students. The Catholic University of Portugal, the
oldest non-state-run university (concordatary status), was instituted by decree of the Holy See and is
recognized by the State of Portugal since 1971. The current public polytechnic subsystem of Institutos
Politécnicos was founded in the 1980s. A few polytechnical higher education institutions, though formed as
such in the 1980s, have their origin in 19th century educational institutions - this is the case of the Instituto
Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa, the Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto and the Escola Superior
Agrária de Coimbra.

Private higher education institutions cannot operate if they are not recognized by the Ministry of Education.

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Access is regulated by the same procedures as those for state higher education institutions. The two systems
of higher education (university and polytechnic) are linked and it is possible to transfer from one to the other
by extraordinary competition. It is also possible to transfer from a public institution to a private one and
vice-versa. Admission to public university programmes are often more demanding and selective than to their
equivalent in public polytechnic and private institutions. Many specific university institutions and degrees
are also regarded as more prestigious and reputed than their peers from the polytechnic system or from
certain less notable university institutions.[4]

Many universities are usually organized by Faculty (Faculdade). Institute (Instituto) and School (Escola) are
also common designations for autonomous units of Portuguese higher learning institutions, and are always
used in the polytechnical system, but also in several universities.

After mid 2000s, with the approval of new legislation and the Bologna Process any polytechnic or university
institution of Portugal, is able to award a first cycle of study, known as licenciatura plus a second cycle
which confer the master's degree. Before that, this was the rule only for university institutions. Virtually all
university institutions award master's degrees as a second cycle of study, but some university departments
are offering integrated master's degrees (joint degrees) through a longer single cycle of study. Some
polytechnic institutions offer the second study cycle in cooperation with a partner university. Doctorates are
only awarded by the universities.[5]

There are also special higher education institutions linked with the military and the police. These specific
institutions have generally a good reputation and are popular among the youngsters because its courses are a
passport to the military/police career. These state-run institutions are the Air Force Academy, the Military
Academy, the Naval School and the Instituto Superior de Ciências Policiais e Segurança Interna.

Over 35% of college-age citizens (20 years old) attend one of the country's higher education institutions[6]
(compared with 50% in the United States and 35% in the OECD countries).

Most student costs are supported with public money. However, with the increasing tuition fees a student has
to pay to attend a Portuguese state-run higher education institution and the attraction of new types of
students (many as part time students or in evening classes) like employees, businessmen, parents, and
pensioners, many departments make a substantial profit from every additional student enrolled in courses,
with benefits for the college or university's gross tuition revenue and without loss of educational quality
(teacher per student, computer per student, classroom size per student, etc).

University and polytechnic

Portugal has two main systems of higher education:

The university system, which is the oldest, has its origins in the 13th century. It is composed of
thirteen public universities, one public university institute, a public open university, and several
private universities and university institutes.

The polytechnic system, that began offering higher education in the 1980s after the former
industrial and commercial schools were converted into engineering and administration higher
education schools (so its origins could be traced back to some earlier vocational education schools
of the 19th century).[7] It is composed of fifteen state-run polytechnic institutes, public and
private non-integrated polytechnic institutions, and other similar institutions.

The Bologna process in Portugal

The Bologna Process was a European reform process aimed at establishing a European Higher Education
Area by 2010. It was an unusual process in that it was loosely structured and driven by the 45 countries

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participating in it in cooperation with a number of international organisations, including the Council of
Europe.

The reform aim was to create by 2010 a higher education system in Europe, organised in such a way that:

it is easy to move from one country to the other (within the European Higher Education Area) –
for the purpose of further study or employment;
the attractiveness of European higher education is increased so many people from non-European
countries also come to study and/or work in Europe;
the European Higher Education Area provides Europe with a broad, high quality and advanced
knowledge base, and ensures the further development of Europe as a stable, peaceful and tolerant
community.

Portugal, like other European States, has conducted educational policies and reforms to accomplish these
objectives. This include the reorganization of both university and polytechnic subsystems and the
implementation of extensive legal and curricular changes. Since its field application in 2006 is has being
widely contested by students (many lost an academic year with the change), and several universities had
disrepute the concept by introducing integrated master degrees in several courses.

Degree significance

Schools that adhered to the Bologna process (since 2006 - 2007) maintained the degree names but their
significance changed. In ascending order of importance[8]:

Bacharelato[9] (Not academically equivalent to Bachelor's degree) - title: Bacharel or Engenheiro Técnico
for technical engineers - abbreviation: none or Bach.

Non-Bologna: three-year course in a polytechnic (before 2007)
Bologna: not used

Licenciatura (Academic License) - title: Licenciado (popular: Doutor or Engenheiro for a License in
engineering) - abbreviation used in front of holder's name: Lic. (popular: Dr. or Eng. for Engineer, used
extensively (formal and colloquially))

Non-Bologna: four- to six-year course in a university, or a Bacharelato complemented with one or
two extra years in a polytechnic (called licenciatura bietápica, meaning dual-stage license) or
university (before 2007)
Bologna: three-year course in a university or polytechnic.

Pós-Graduação or Especialização (Postgraduate degree) - no specific title

Usually one year of specific study for holders of a Licenciatura or Mestrado.

Mestrado (Master's degree) - title: Mestre

Non-Bologna: advanced degree in a specific scientific field, indicating capacity for conducting
practical research. Courses last two to four semesters, including lectures and the preparation and
discussion of an original dissertation. It is only open to those who have obtained a grade average
of 14/20 or higher in the Licenciatura course. Those with less than 14/20 may also be eligible for a
Mestrado course after analysis of the curriculum by the university.
Bologna: Licenciatura complemented with one or two extra years in a polytechnic or university;
or, in some cases, a 5- to 6-year joint degree (Mestrado Integrado) in a university. Students have
to present their public thesis defense in order to be awarded the degree.

Doutoramento (Doctorate) - used in front of holder's name: Doutor

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The Doutorado is conferred by universities to those who have passed the Doctorate examinations
and have defended a thesis, usually to pursue a teaching and researching career at university level.
There is no fixed period to prepare for the Doctorate examinations. Candidates must hold a degree
of Mestrado or Licenciatura (if their grade average is equal or higher than 16/20) (or a legally
equivalent qualification) and have competences and merit that are recognized by the university.

Agregação (Agrégation) - used in front of holder's name: Professor Doutor

This is the highest qualification reserved to holders of the Doutor degree. It requires the capacity
to undertake high level research and special pedagogical competence in a specific field. It is
awarded after passing specific examinations.

Admission

Admission to state-run higher education level studies requires either a secondary school credential, Diploma
de Ensino Secundário, given after twelve study years, and the required ENES exams. An extraordinary
exam process is available to anyone aged 23 or older. Admission to private institutions is at the total
discretion of each school. Every higher education institution has also a number of other extraordinary
admission processes for sportsmen, international students, foreign students from the Lusosphere, degree
owners from other institutions, students from other institutions (academic transfer), former students
(readmission), and course change, which are subject to specific standards and regulations set by each
institution or course department.

With secondary school credential

Students must have studied the subjects for which they are entering to be prepared for the entrance exams,
but they are not required to have previously specialised in any specific area at the secondary school.
Students sit for one or more entrance exams, Concurso nacional for public institutions or Concurso local for
private institutions. In addition to passing entrance exams, students must fulfil particular prerequisites for the
chosen course. Enrollment is limited; each year the institution establishes the number of places available.
This is called the numerus clausus. For the public institutions the exam scores count for the final evaluation,
which includes the secondary school average marks. Then the students have to choose six
institutions/courses they prefer to attend, in preferential order. The ones, who reach the marks needed to
attend the desired institution/course, given the attributed vacant, will be admitted. This means that the
students could not be admitted at its first or second choice, but be admitted at the third or even sixth choice.
In some cases, those entering polytechnics or nursing and health technologies schools, should have some
previous vocational training and preference will be given to applicants from the catchment area of the
institution concerned. From the academic year 2005/2006 onwards, access rules have enforced minimum
grades of 95 (out of 200) in the national access examinations for all candidates in every sector of public
higher education. In practical terms, and unlike what happened in the past, the new rule meant the exclusion
of a large number of applicants who otherwise would have been admitted with negative grades to the less
selective courses of some public institutions, and consequently lead to a number of available places for
students left vacant every year in many courses.

Extraordinary exam process

Even without a complete secondary school education, anyone 23 or above can apply to state-run higher
learning institution through the Exame Extraordinário de Avaliação de Capacidade para Acesso ao Ensino
Superior (extraordinary exam to assess the capacity to enter higher-level studies), also called the Ad-Hoc
exam. The process consists of the general Portuguese exam, an interview to evaluate motivation and CV, and
additional exams specific to each school and course, obligatorily written and oral. Candidates approved go
through a separate numerus clausus or enroll directly at the discretion of the school's board. As what
happens with the Concurso Nacional through the Exames Nacionais do Ensino Secundário (ENES), the

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Extraordinary Exam Process for over-23-year-old candidates is more demanding and has a much higher
selectiveness in public universities than in the public polytechnics. Humanities and other non-mathematical-
intensive fields have also much higher admission rates than classical university engineering, economics or
medicine. This implies that almost all new students admitted by this extraordinary process enter a
polytechnic institution, private institution, or humanities programmes.

Teacher education
Main article: Teacher education

Training of pre-primary and primary/basic school teachers

Teachers of basic education attend 4-year courses in Escolas Superiores de Educação or at the universities
to obtain a Licenciado degree.

The government as passed a law (February/2007) that makes a teacher to have also a " mestre " degree in
Basic and Secondary Education.

Training of secondary school teachers

Teachers of secondary education must hold a Licenciado degree and follow courses that last for between
four and six years. Studies are sanctioned by a Licenciado em Ensino or a Licenciatura - Ramo de
Formação Educacional, according to the issuing institution. Educators and basic and secondary education
teachers, with practice in regular or special education, may obtain a qualification to teach in specialized
education. Continuous training for teachers is offered in Centros de Formação Continua.

The government as passed a law (February/2007) that makes a teacher to have also a " mestre " degree in
Basic and Secondary Education.

Training of higher education teachers

Teachers at this level receive no formal professional training, but minimum qualifications are laid down for
each category.

University: assistente estagiário (Licenciado); assistente (Mestre); professor auxiliar (Doutor); professor
associado (Doutor and five years' service); professor catedrático (Agregação and three years' service).

Polytechnics: assistente (Licenciado); professor adjunto (Mestre or DESE); professor coordenador (Doutor
and 3-years' service).

Non-traditional studies
At present, distance higher education is provided by the Universidade Aberta (Open University).

Private vs. public
Private Basic and Secondary schools and also private higher education institutions do exist in Portugal and
are sometimes elite institutions (like the Universidade Católica Portuguesa in Lisbon and Porto, or some
private primary, basic and secondary schools, mainly located in the biggest cities), existing among them
many religious or speciality institutions. Many of the best ranked secondary schools in the country are
private schools, as well as some of the worst ranked secondary schools. This secondary schools ranking has
been released every year in Portugal, and is based on the student's average grades in the National
Examinations which are used for higher education admission.[10] Among the best ranked public and private

12 de 18 14-10-2011 23:39


secondary schools are those of Lisbon, Porto and Coimbra. Schools from litoral areas are better ranked than
schools from interior and less populated regions. The worst gap between internal school marks by course and
the national examination marks is seen among private schools, with higher grades attributed by the school to
students who perform poorly in the national examinations.

Some Portuguese employers and families are of the opinion that the existence of private education
institutions, where accessibility is based primarily on ability to pay, is not as fair as the public system and
could gloom the meritocracy concept, leading to easier entrance criteria and lower teaching standards. Some
private institutions are known for making it easy for students to enter and also to get higher grades - as long
as they pay. Others claim that the private systems could prevent a significant portion of Portugal's population
from being able to attend these schools that is also unfair. The quotas imposed on public education
institutions to create room for students from former Portuguese colonies, who get automatically a place in
those institutions also creates a big problem in terms of fairness, as some of these students can enter with
very low grades excluding a portion of the Portuguese born students from studying in the public institutions
and first choice courses they want.

On the other side there are some people who prefer to attend private institutions because they don't trust in
the public educational infrastructure they have near their residential area. This could be related with
overcrowded classes, bad reputation, criminality levels, incidence of ethnic minorities generally considered
problematic, lack of quality teaching staff or bad infrastructures in that specific institution.

Without large endowments like those received, for example, by many of the US private universities and
colleges, and with little tradition of excellence in the sector, the private higher education institutions of
Portugal, with a few exceptions, do not have either the financial support or the academic profile to reach the
highest teaching and research standards of the major Portuguese public universities. In addition, a lack of
collaboration between the most prominent private sector enterprises and the private universities is also
restrictive, and represents another comparative disadvantage between public and private higher education
institutions.

Traditionally, public system's institutions are regarded in general as having higher quality and accountability,
but private institutions have developed quickly after the 25 de Abril revolution of 1974, and some have
today a great reputation. There are both public and private institutions considered of the highest standard
and quality. However, a large majority of Portuguese students attend public schools, universities and colleges
because it is considerably less expensive than the private ones, the public system has a much older
implantation, and for the other side it covers well the entire territory. There are also some students who
simply desire and can afford to attend an elite private institution, even if they have availability to attend one
of the largest or most renowned public institutions.

A number of scandals and affairs involving private higher education institutions (Universidade Moderna
(1998), Universidade Independente (2007) and Universidade Internacional (2009), among others), and a
general perception of many of those institutions as having a tendentially relaxed teaching style with less
rigorous criteria, have contributed to their poor reputation which originated a state-run inspection of private
higher education institutions in 2007.[11]

School violence
Main article: School violence

The teaching quality of Portuguese learning institutions depends on the population that is receiving the
training, their family background support, the teaching staff quality and motivation, the sociocultural
environment and the economical development of that population. In some ghettos, specially in Greater
Lisbon's suburbs where many immigrants, immigrant descendants from PALOP countries, among some other
ethnic minorities, are concentrated, and also areas with higher unemployment rates and other severe social

13 de 18 14-10-2011 23:39


problems, exist schools with generalized high dropout and juvenile delinquency rates. In Greater Porto there
are no African or other significant immigrant ghettos like in Lisbon, but there is a high dropout and juvenile
delinquency rates among nationals from former rural areas, of humble origins or from ethnic minorities from
specific districts or quarters.

School violence in Portugal is not unique to public schools or the major urban centers. Public and private
Portuguese schools have all experienced an increase in school violence. However, due to the general wealth
and educational background of private school student's families, and the increased private security measures
adopted, private schools have generally a lower level of violence.

Violence in Portuguese schools became an educational issue for the first time during the 1990s, mainly
through the persistence of parental associations and teacher claims. However, it must be said that this was
not the first time that violence appeared in Portuguese schools as a significant situation. For decades, during
the dictatorship, police violence against students was common inside universities. After the democratisation
in 25 de Abril revolution of 1974 the occurrence of violent situations reached the highest point when the
intense political debate in schools often ended in physical confrontations between students and even
teachers (which was not generally seen as a school violence problem but as a reflection of the violence
widely present in the political debate in society). Nevertheless this was a politically socialized and framed
violence, quite different from the kind of violence we can find today. That one had political programs, this
one is quite anomic. Its origin is very diverse, from poverty to psychological problems. Theft, random or
systematic physical aggression, bullying, destruction of school or teachers properties are realities which
become current in many schools.[6] (http://www.gold.ac.uk/connect/reportportugal.html)

In May 2006, a television program was broadcast in RTP 1, titled Quando a violência vai à escola (When
violence goes to the school) by journalist Mafalda Gameiro. Using hidden cameras in the classrooms, the
program shows the violent behavior of many young students (with ages between 10 and 13 years old) inside
the classroom of a very problematic unidentified school, and the chaos and fear often generated. Students
and teachers privacy was also protected during image recording for TV. In 2004 and 2005, the Portuguese
Ministry of Education reported over 1,200 aggressions inside Portuguese schools.

School safety

Escola Segura[12][13] provides a safety program to 11 thousand schools, it involves 600 police officers a
day, 300 cars and 160 motorbikes.[14]

Foreign international schools in Portugal
There are some foreign international schools in Portugal, specially in Lisbon and Porto areas, and also in the
Algarve region. These places have a large number of settled foreign families from high income countries. In
general, they have good reputation.

Aljezur International School is a progressive English speaking international secondary school, with an
excellent exam result history, and VVIS International School Algarve reports that it has obtained a 100%
academic success rate for the last four years for first attempmt IGCSE examinations. Other private schools
have obtained world renowned status, including schools such as the Carlucci American International School
of Lisbon (CAISL), VVIS International School Algarve, St Julian's School, St Dominic's International School
and Vilamoura International School. Oeiras International School is the latest addition to this set of
international schools, opening in September 2010 and catering for students in the area of Greater Lisbon.

Criticism
Education has been a subject of controversy in Portugal due to a number of erratic policies and the state of

14 de 18 14-10-2011 23:39


flux it has experienced by several long periods, particularly between the carnation revolution coup of 1974
to the Bologna process of 2007.

There has been also concerns related to the large dropout rates (mostly in the secondary and higher
education systems), and the high multi generational functional illiteracy (48%[15] functional illiterates in
Portugal, among the adult population; all over U.S.A. 30 million (14% of adults)[16] are functionally
illiterate) and illiteracy rates (7.5% = ~ 800,000 illiterates) - a quite mediocre statistical record when
compared with other developed countries of Europe, North America and Eastern Asia.

The failure of many private universities and other higher education institutions in providing higher education
to students due to generalized lack of quality and rigour has also been a major problem - for several years
those institutions were awarding degrees to thousands of people who were spread into the economically
active population. Some higher education institutions, in particular from the private and polytechnic sector,
have been regarded as true diploma mills. In the following decades after their creation in the 1970s and
1980s, the polytechnic institutions didn't assume their specific role as tertiary education vocational schools,
which were created to award practical diplomas in more technical or basic fields.

Non-university intermediate professionals and skilled workers for the industry, agriculture, commerce and
other services where needed. As more new public university institutions were founded or expanded,
polytechnics didn't feel comfortable with their subaltern status in the Portuguese higher education system
and a desire to be upgraded into university-like institutions grew among the polytechnic institutions'
administrations. This desire of emancipation and evolution from polytechnic status to university status, was
not followed by better qualified teaching staff, better facilities for teaching or researching, or by a stronger
curricula with a more selective admission criteria, comparable with those enforced by almost all public
university institutions. Criteria ambiguity and the general lower standards in polytechnic higher education
and admission, were fiercely criticised by education personalities like university rectors, regarding issues like
the lack of admission exams in mathematics for polytechnic engineering applicants, and the proliferation of
administration and management courses everywhere, many without a proper curriculum in mathematics,
statistics and economics-related disciplines.[17]

According to studies and reports, in the 1990s and 2000s, a fast growth and proliferation of private higher
education and state-run polytechnical institutions with lower educational standards and ambiguous academic
integrity, was responsible for unnecessary and uneconomic allocation of resources with no adequate quality
output in terms of both new highly qualified graduates and research.[18]

In March 2008 a mega-protest hit many Portuguese cities along the country, joining over 85,000 basic and
secondary school teachers from all the country in the capital city of Lisbon (March 8), criticizing the
Portuguese Minister of Education Maria de Lurdes Rodrigues (XVII Governo Constitucional headed by PM
José Sócrates) and her new policies, including a new system of teacher's evaluation.[19]

In addition, the XVII Governo Constitucional (the government headed by PM José Sócrates), created a
policy of certification and equivalence of qualifications for adult people with low levels of formal education
who want a 4th, 6th, 9th or 12th grade equivalence without returning to school (for example, through this
process, called Novas Oportunidades,[20][21] adults (18 years old and older) with the 9th grade might be
granted an equivalence to the 12th grade after a process ranging from a part-time 3-month programme or a 1
day per week 8-month programme; those who have less than 9th grade have a similar programme to get the
9th grade certification and can then apply to the 12th grade programme). The curricula do not include any
classical high school discipline or a traditional examination process. These diplomas are awarded based on
vaguely construed life experience. Some critics alleged this policy was an effort to make up the poor national
statistical indicators on education, with little impact on the quality of the work force's qualification of
Portugal in the European Union context.[22][23][24]

15 de 18 14-10-2011 23:39


Notes and references
1. ^ a b (Portuguese) Alunos portugueses pela primeira vez "perto da média" - relatório PISA
(http://www.destak.pt/artigo/82223-alunos-portugueses-pela-primeira-vez-perto-da-media-relatorio-pisa) ,
Destak
2. ^ (Portuguese) Estudo do ministério aponta graves problemas aos alunos portugueses (http://tv2.rtp.pt/noticias
/?t=Ministerio-aponta-graves-problemas-aos-alunos-portugueses.rtp&article=403245&visual=3&
layout=10&tm=9) , GAVE (Gabinete de Avaliação do Ministério da Educação) 2010 report in RTP
3. ^ http://www.dgidc.min-edu.pt/basico/Paginas/Org_Curricular1ciclo.aspx
4. ^ (Portuguese) Cláudia Valadas Urbano, A candidatura ao ensino superior politécnico: Escolha ou recurso?
(http://www.aps.pt/cms/docs_prv/docs/DPR4628bcb677a21_1.pdf)
5. ^ MINISTÉRIO DA CIÊNCIA, TECNOLOGIA E ENSINO SUPERIOR, Decreto-Lei nº 74/2006 de 24 de
Março, Artigo 29º - Atribuição do grau de doutor (http://www.mctes.pt/docs/ficheiros
/Decreto_Lei_no_74___2006.pdf) , accessed December 2006
6. ^ (Portuguese) http://www.portugal.gov.pt/pt/GC18/Governo/Ministerios/MCTES/Intervencoes/Pages
/20100111_MCTES_Int_Contrato_Confianca_EnsSup.aspx Um Contrato de confiança no Ensino Superior para
o futuro de Portugal, Government of Portugal official site portugal.gov.pt
7. ^ ENGINEERING EDUCATION IN PORTUGAL, European Federation of National Engineering Associations
(http://www.feani.org/ESOEPE/PT-accred/PTengeduc.htm) , accessed December 2006
8. ^ [1] (http://oecd-conference-teks.iscte.pt/downloads/OECD_conference_PanelTaxell.ppt)
9. ^ The Portuguese bacharelato degree awarded by polytechnical institutions or its predecessors, was not a
bachelor's degree - it was one step below. Only the licenciatura degree was equal to the bachelor's degree.
10. ^ Ranking SIC das Escolas 2007 (http://sic.sapo.pt/NR/rdonlyres/144079F8-E84B-4DE1-
A654-AB584BB85A3D/0/Ranking_SIC_2007.pdf) , SIC
11. ^ Encerramento: Ministério vai averiguar a base de dados das instituições Privadas inspeccionadas
(http://www.correiomanha.pt/noticia.asp?idCanal=0&id=236552) , in Correio da Manhã 2007-03-30.
12. ^ Polícia de Segurança Pública (http://www.psp.pt/psp/proximidade/escola_segura/psp.html)
13. ^ School Bullying and Violence - All links mentioned in the book (http://www.bullying-in-school.info/en/content
/links-resources/visionary-book/all-links-mentioned-in-the-book.html)
14. ^ «Escolas são dos espaços públicos mais seguros» (http://www.portugaldiario.iol.pt/noticia.php?div_id=291&
id=852229)
15. ^ [2] (http://www.setubalnarede.pt/content/index.php?action=articlesDetailFo&rec=1265)
16. ^ General Facts (http://www.lovetoread.org/aboutlit/general.html)
17. ^ (Portuguese) Andrea Trindade, “Ausência de regras favorece a concorrência desqualificada”
(http://www.diariocoimbra.pt/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=525&Itemid=135) , "O facto de
cada instituição poder definir regras próprias de ingresso para os seus cursos é, no entender de Seabra Santos,
mais um factor de «concorrência desqualificada e de nivelamento por baixo»: Uma escola de Engenharia, por
exemplo, pode decidir que os seus estudantes não precisam de Matemática para entrar.", Diário de Coimbra
(February 2, 2009)
18. ^ (Portuguese) Prof. Manuel Caldeira Cabral, Economics Department, EEG - Minho University Ensino superior
cresceu nas instituições menos procuradas e com médias mais baixas (http://ultimahora.publico.clix.pt
/noticia.aspx?id=1281781&idCanal=74) , Público (January 8, 2007)
19. ^ [3] (http://sic.sapo.pt/online/noticias/vida/20080308120+pol
%C3%ADcias+mobilizados+para+manifestacao.htm) , SIC, 8th March 2008
20. ^ :: Guia de Acesso ao Secundário :: (http://www.novasoportunidades.gov.pt/)
21. ^ Portal do Governo (http://www.portugal.gov.pt/Portal/PT/Governos/Governos_Constitucionais
/GC17/Ministerios/MTSS/Comunicacao/Programas_e_Dossiers
/20050921_MTSS_Prog_Novas_Oportunidades.htm)
22. ^ (Portuguese) A Página da Educação, "Estas considerações surgem como necessárias à problematização e
questionamento da bondade da muito propalada "Iniciativa Novas Oportunidades", nomeadamente no eixo de
intervenção jovens. Se "fazer do nível secundário o patamar mínimo de qualificação para jovens e adultos" se
nos afigura como um objectivo socialmente louvável, concretizá-lo pela expansão da oferta das fileiras menos
prestigiadas do secundário, segmento com clara sobre-representação das categorias sociais mais desfavorecidas
(cursos profissionalizantes), e que proporcionam acesso às ocupações com remunerações mais modestas, pode
criar a ilusão de uma certa democratização (desde logo quantitativa), e até melhorar a posição do país no
ranking europeu da escolarização (sempre importante para fins de "cosmética política"),..."[4]
(http://www.apagina.pt/arquivo/Artigo.asp?ID=5644) , A Página da Educação (education magazine)
23. ^ (Portuguese) SPN - Sindicato dos Professores do Norte, Direcção da Área de S. João da Madeira, "A ideia

16 de 18 14-10-2011 23:39


generosa das Novas Oportunidades a massificar-se e a ser aplicada sem condições materiais e humanas, o que
a transformará num embuste estatístico para melhorar os índices educativos portugueses."[5] (http://www.spn.pt
/?aba=27&cat=58&doc=1628&mid=115) , SPN - Sindicato dos Professores do Norte (Teachers' Union of Norte
Region)
24. ^ (Portuguese) António Figueira, Fernando Sobral in Jornal de Negócios: Um conceito que é uma vergonha
(http://5dias.net/2007/04/20/fernando-sobral-um-conceito-que-e-uma-vergonha/) Fernando Sobral: “Novas
Oportunidades”, como conceito, é uma vergonha. Vende a ideia de que as pessoas que passam a ferro, os
caixas de lojas ou os executantes de milhares de tarefas indispensáveis à sociedade, são Zés Ninguém. Cria a
noção de que se todos aderirem às “Novas Oportunidades”, o sucesso chegará por e-mail. Alguém, claro, terá
de fornecer esses trabalhos aparentemente inúteis neste novo conceito. Mas, a acreditar na lógica do Governo,
para isso estão cá os brasileiros, os angolanos, os ucranianos e os que não têm direito às oportunidades. Para
Sócrates quem não é célebre não interessa e quem não é reconhecido não tem identidade. Esta campanha do
Governo não vende ilusões: trafica desejos. E está a alimentar ainda mais um conceito cruel que se
desenvolveu na sociedade portuguesa: conhecem-te, existes. “Novas Oportunidades” é a cara do PS “terceira
via” de Sócrates. O sucesso está acima de todos os valores. E deve achincalhar o trabalho útil, mas invisível.
“Novas Oportunidades” é, simplesmente, um filme de terror governamental. Com sabor a caramelo.”,
5DIAS.net

Sources
Education in Portugal - country-studies.com (http://www.country-studies.com/portugal
/education.html)
Euroeducation.net - Structure of Educational System in Portugal (http://www.euroeducation.net
/prof/porco.htm)
country-data.com Portugal - EDUCATION (http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query
/r-10902.html)
Funding higher education in Portugal: between State and market, Educ. Soc. vol.25 no.88 special,
Campinas Oct. 2004 (http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&
pid=S0101-73302004000300016&lng=en&nrm=iso)
Selected Statistics for Portugal, SOURCE: UNESCO Institute for Statistics, Global Education
Database (http://ged.eads.usaidallnet.gov/query/do?_program=/eads/ged/countryUNE&
cty=4PRT+&sscode=alls&output=1&submit=Get+Data)
NATIONAL REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BOLOGNA PROCESS (AUGUST
2003) (http://www.bologna-bergen2005.no/Docs/Portugal/PORTUGAL.PDF)
Engenharia do Séc.XX (http://www.engenharia.com.pt/) (Portuguese)
JVCosta - Higher Education in Portugal (http://jvcosta.planetaclix.pt) (Portuguese)

See also
Higher education in Portugal
List of colleges and universities in Portugal
Portugal
School shooting
School violence
List of school-related attacks
Student teaching

External links
Portuguese Ministry of Education (http://www.min-edu.pt/)
Portuguese Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education (http://www.mces.pt/)
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Education_in_Portugal&oldid=451700759"
Categories: Education in Portugal

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