Portugal faces exam grade drops and teacher shortages

Portugal faces several challenges as the new school year begins. National exam results from the extraordinary session show a significant decline in grades compared to the first phase. Nine subjects, including Portuguese, Biology, and Mathematics, saw average scores drop from positive to negative. This follows technical issues during the digital grading process, which led to an increase in grade re-evaluation requests; approximately 75% of these requests resulted in higher scores.

Simultaneously, the Missão Escola Pública (MEP) reports a critical shortage of teachers, affecting approximately 163,000 students. The lack of staff is most acute in Portuguese, English, and Mathematics, as well as in the first cycle of primary education. The shortage is particularly notable in the Lisbon, Alentejo, and Algarve regions.

Economic pressures are also impacting families. A study by IPAM indicates that 83% of families feel the costs of returning to school have increased compared to last year, with an estimated average expenditure of 179 euros per child. To manage budgets, many families are increasingly comparing prices online and reusing school materials. In response to these financial burdens, the Social Security system provides a doubled family allowance in September for eligible low-income households to help cover school-related expenses.