Portugal to grant teachers majority vote in school director elections

Portugal's Minister of Education, Fernando Alexandre, has announced a reform to the election process for school directors. Under the new rules, teachers will hold more than 50% of the voting power in direct elections for these leadership positions.

Currently, directors are elected by a General Council composed of teachers, staff, parents, students, local authorities, and the community, with teacher and faculty votes capped at 50%. The proposed changes, part of a revision to the School Autonomy and Governance Regime, aim to recognize the central role of teachers in the educational system and reinforce the legitimacy of school leadership.

A new Director Statute is expected to be approved by the end of this year. Additionally, the Minister noted that due to the increasing responsibilities and required competencies of management teams, those in leadership roles will be entitled to salary increases.