- 2018Approved/Agreed
- 2019Implementation
- 2020Implementation
- 2021Implementation
- 2022Implementation
Background
The Government has prioritised investment in inclusive education, enabling learners, regardless of their personal and social situation, to have equal opportunities. The education system should meet the expectations and needs of all learners, supporting them in reaching their full potential, offering them a sense of belonging and contributing to higher levels of social cohesion.
Objectives
Legislation aims to address the needs of each learner and provide the adequate environment to achieve their goals, promoting equity and equal opportunities throughout compulsory education.
Description
The legislation introduced in 2018 and amended in 2019, aims to promote inclusive education and enable schools to recognise and respond to learners' diversity, individual needs and capabilities. It established a flexible learning model, which addresses the unique needs of learners and targets the acquisition of common knowledge throughout their school paths, regardless of the specific education or training programme in which they are enrolled. This legislation offers learners opportunities to achieve educational success. The measures introduced affect all education and double certification (VET) programmes. They aim to ensure that all learners have equal opportunities.
The methodological approaches underlying inclusive education legislation rely on flexible curricular models, and on the systematic monitoring of implemented interventions and the assessment of their effectiveness. They also provide the option for intervention measures tailored to each learner.
Aiming to improve teaching quality, actions were taken to strengthen teachers' and school principals' training and exposure to good practices, through a model of proximity monitoring of schools in each region by teams based centrally at the education ministry. A MOOC (massive open online course) concerning inclusive education took place between February and March 2019 and involved about 3 000 teachers and technicians.
ANQEP is part of a team, coordinated by the...
The legislation introduced in 2018 and amended in 2019, aims to promote inclusive education and enable schools to recognise and respond to learners' diversity, individual needs and capabilities. It established a flexible learning model, which addresses the unique needs of learners and targets the acquisition of common knowledge throughout their school paths, regardless of the specific education or training programme in which they are enrolled. This legislation offers learners opportunities to achieve educational success. The measures introduced affect all education and double certification (VET) programmes. They aim to ensure that all learners have equal opportunities.
The methodological approaches underlying inclusive education legislation rely on flexible curricular models, and on the systematic monitoring of implemented interventions and the assessment of their effectiveness. They also provide the option for intervention measures tailored to each learner.
Aiming to improve teaching quality, actions were taken to strengthen teachers' and school principals' training and exposure to good practices, through a model of proximity monitoring of schools in each region by teams based centrally at the education ministry. A MOOC (massive open online course) concerning inclusive education took place between February and March 2019 and involved about 3 000 teachers and technicians.
ANQEP is part of a team, coordinated by the Technical and Professional School of Moita, Lisbon, collaborating in a pilot project to design a guide to support the implementation of inclusive education in the double certification programmes. This guide will provide information, training and follow-up actions for school teams.
A range of stakeholders were involved in the initiative: the Portuguese Education Council; the Schools Council; the Association of Private and Cooperative Educational Institutions; the Portuguese Cooperative Confederation; the Confederation of National Institutions for Solidarity; the Union of the Portuguese 'Misericordias'; and the bodies of Autonomous Regions Government (Madeira and Azores).
Between April and May 2019, each central monitoring team held regional network meetings, clarifying and sharing information on common practices with various schools. The Inclusive education seminar: equity-participation-rights-values-progress, took place in May 2019, providing an opportunity for a wide debate and sharing of inclusive education practices among the 700 participants.
On 4 June 2019, the national meeting on autonomy and curricular flexibility was held with schools, teachers, students, specialists and other partners, for the dissemination of practices, reflection on the steps already taken and projection of the work to be carried out.
From the academic year 2019/20, the maximum number of students per class dropped from 30 to 28 in the 10th year, including VET programmes, and this reduction will progressively apply to the remaining years of secondary education.
Also in 2019, legislation introduced the redefinition of the special education teacher role and reinforcement of learners' guardians.
From December 2019 to February 2020, intensive proximity monitoring work at public, private and cooperative education institutions and professional schools was carried out. Participating institutions presented their innovation plans and how they promote curricular autonomy and flexibility. These institutions developed more than 25% of the curriculum autonomously to address learner needs better.
Throughout 2020, multidisciplinary technical teams from central and regional services of the education ministry supported public schools nationwide in applying inclusive education principles and practices. In these meetings, schools have shared their strategies in addressing the specific needs of learners regarding the competences that should be included in the curriculum and core curriculum and their socio-emotional well-being. Schools also presented their strategy in facing the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In practice, flexible curricular models have provided more autonomy to schools, enabling them to adjust to learner profiles and retain high-quality teachers.
Ordinance (Portaria) No. 306/2021, of 17 December, changed the Ordinance No 181/2019, of 11 June, in relation to the autonomy and flexibility of schools.
Recognising the special vulnerability of non-escorted underaged foreigners (MENA), the Portuguese Government responded to the March 2020 Greek Government and EU appeals to relocate 500 children and youngsters from refugee camps in Greece. Up until December 2021, Portugal had welcomed 232 underaged refugees, thus becoming, according to European Commission data from October 2021, the third among Member States in the number of relocations, after France and Germany. These minors were admitted to shelter housing throughout the country, and then enrolled in the Portuguese education system.
The training and skills updating of technicians is an element that promotes equal opportunities:
- 59 participants took part in a 50-hour training of trainers workshop (25 synchronous distance hours and 25 hours of autonomous work);
- 60 school psychologists took part in 60-hour specialised training;
- three MOOC training actions:
- Technologies for inclusion and accessibility, (1 255 participants);
- Inclusive education (1 493 participants);
- Learning and school communities (1 619 participants).
106 textbooks from Grade 1 to 12 (general and vocational education) were adapted and transcribed into Braille.
The measure is part of the NIP under the packages Equal opportunities and Flexibility and diversification.
In 2022, OECD conducted a review of inclusive education in Portugal that concluded that the Portuguese education system has achieved historic improvements in access and results over the last 25 years and shows significant improvement in students' overall performance. It is one of the few countries with a positive trajectory of improvement in all subjects - reading, mathematics and science - assessed by the OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). The early school leaving rate has decreased significantly, despite large variations between regions. However, Portugal still faces some challenges in achieving an inclusive education system and important differences persist in the learning outcomes and well-being of students from disadvantaged groups and/or from diverse backgrounds, from low-income families, from immigrant families and from Roma community.
Bodies responsible
- Ministry of Education (ME)
- Directorate General for Education (DGE)
- National Agency for Qualification and Vocational Education and Training (ANQEP)
Target groups
Learners
- Learners in upper secondary, including apprentices
- Young people (15-29 years old)
- Learners with migrant background, including refugees
- Learners at risk of early leaving or/and early leavers
- Learners with disabilities
Education professionals
- Teachers
- Trainers
- School leaders
- Guidance practitioners
Thematic categories
Governance of VET and lifelong learning
This thematic category looks at existing legal frameworks providing for strategic, operational – including quality assurance – and financing arrangements for VET and lifelong learning (LLL). It examines how VET and LLL-related policies are placed in broad national socioeconomic contexts and coordinate with other strategies and policies, such as economic, social and employment, growth and innovation, recovery and resilience.
This thematic category covers partnerships and collaboration networks of VET stakeholders – especially the social partners – to shape and implement VET in a country, including looking at how their roles and responsibilities for VET at national, regional and local levels are shared and distributed, ensuring an appropriate degree of autonomy for VET providers to adapt their offer.
The thematic category also includes efforts to create national, regional and sectoral skills intelligence systems (skills anticipation and graduate tracking) and using skills intelligence for making decisions about VET and LLL on quality, inclusiveness and flexibility.
This thematic sub-category refers to the integration of VET into economic, industrial, innovation, social and employment strategies, including those linked to recovery, green and digital transitions, and where VET is seen as a driver for innovation and growth. It includes national, regional, sectoral strategic documents or initiatives that make VET an integral part of broader policies, or applying a mix of policies to address an issue VET is part of, e.g. in addressing youth unemployment measures through VET, social and active labour market policies that are implemented in combination. National skill strategies aiming at quality and inclusive lifelong learning also fall into this sub-category.
This thematic sub-category refers both to formal mechanisms of stakeholder engagement in VET governance and to informal cooperation among stakeholders, which motivate shared responsibility for quality VET. Formal engagement is usually based on legally established institutional procedures that clearly define the role and responsibilities for relevant stakeholders in designing, implementing and improving VET. It also refers to establishing and increasing the degree of autonomy of VET providers for agile and flexible VET provision.
In terms of informal cooperation, the sub-category covers targeted actions by different stakeholders to promote or implement VET. This cooperation often leads to creating sustainable partnerships and making commitments for targeted actions, in line with the national context and regulation, e.g. national alliances for apprenticeships, pacts for youth or partnerships between schools and employers. It can also include initiatives and projects run by the social partners or sectoral organisations or networks of voluntary experts and executives, retired or on sabbatical, to support their peers in the fields of VET and apprenticeships, as part of the EAfA.
Modernising VET offer and delivery
This thematic category looks at what and how individuals learn, how learning content and learning outcomes in initial and continuing VET are defined, adapted and updated. First and foremost, it examines how VET standards, curricula, programmes and training courses are updated and modernised or new ones created. Updated and renewed VET content ensures that learners acquire a balanced mix of competences that address modern demands, and are more closely aligned with the realities of the labour market, including key competences, digital competences and skills for green transition and sustainability, both sector-specific and across sectors. Using learning outcomes as a basis is important to facilitate this modernisation, including modularisation of VET programmes. Updating and developing teaching and learning materials to support the above is also part of the category.
The thematic category continues to focus on strengthening high-quality and inclusive apprenticeships and work-based learning in real-life work environments and in line with the European framework for quality and effective apprenticeships. It looks at expanding apprenticeship to continuing vocational training and at developing VET programmes at EQF levels 5-8 for better permeability and lifelong learning and to support the need for higher vocational skills.
This thematic category also focuses on VET delivery through a mix of open, digital and participative learning environments, including workplaces conducive to learning, which are flexible, more adaptable to the ways individuals learn, and provide more access and outreach to various groups of learners, diversifying modes of learning and exploiting the potential of digital learning solutions and blended learning to complement face-to-face learning.
Centres of vocational excellence that connect VET to innovation and skill ecosystems and facilitate stronger cooperation with business and research also fall into this category.
VET standards and curricula define the content and outcomes of learning, most often at national or sectoral levels. VET programmes are based on standards and curricula and refer to specific vocations/occupations. They all need to be regularly reviewed, updated and aligned with the needs of the labour market and society. They need to include a balanced mix of vocational and technical skills corresponding to economic cycles, evolving jobs and working methods, and key competences, providing for resilience, lifelong learning, employability, social inclusion, active citizenship, sustainable awareness and personal development (Council of the European Union, 2020). The thematic sub-category also refers to establishing new VET programmes, reducing their number or discontinuing some. It also includes design of CVET programmes and training courses to adapt to labour market, sectoral or individual up- and re-skilling needs.
This thematic sub-category focuses on developing and updating all kinds of learning resources and materials, both for learners and for teachers and trainers (e.g. teachers handbooks or manuals), to embrace current and evolving content and modes of learning. These activities target all kinds of formats: hard copy and digital publications, learning websites and platforms, tools for learner self-assessment of progress, ICT-based simulators, virtual and augmented reality, etc.
Teachers, trainers and school leaders competences
Competent and motivated VET teachers in schools and trainers in companies are crucial to VET becoming innovative and relevant, agile, resilient, flexible, inclusive and lifelong.
This thematic category comprises policies and practices of initial training and continuing professional development approaches in a systemic and systematic manner. It also looks at measures aiming to update (entry) requirements and make teaching and training careers attractive and bring more young and talented individuals and business professionals into teaching and training. Supporting VET educators by equipping them with adequate competences, skills and tools for the green transition and digital teaching and learning are addressed in separate thematic sub-categories.
The measures in this category target teachers and school leaders, company trainers and mentors, adult educators and guidance practitioners.
This thematic sub-category refers to all kinds of initial and continuing professional development (CPD) for VET educators who work in vocational schools and in companies providing VET. VET educators include teachers and school leaders, trainers and company managers involved in VET, as well as adult educators and guidance practitioners – those who work in school- and work-based settings. The thematic sub-category includes national strategies, training programmes or individual courses to address the learning needs of VET educators and to develop their vocational (technical) skills, and pedagogical (teaching) skills and competences. Such programmes concern state-of-the-art vocational pedagogy, innovative teaching methods, and competences needed to address evolving teaching environments, e.g. teaching in multicultural settings, working with learners at risk of early leaving, etc.
This thematic sub-category is in line with the EU policy focus on the digital transition, and refers to professional development and other measures to prepare and support teachers and trainers in teaching their learners digital skills and competences. It also covers measures and support for them to increase their own digital skills and competences, including for teaching in virtual environments, working with digital tools and applying digital pedagogies. Emergency measures taken during the COVID-19 pandemic also fall into this sub-category.
Supporting lifelong learning culture and increasing participation
Lifelong learning refers to all learning (formal, non-formal or informal) taking place at all stages in life and resulting in an improvement or update in knowledge, skills, competences and attitudes or in participation in society from a personal, civic, cultural, social or employment-related perspective (Erasmus+, Glossary of terms, https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/programme-guide/part-d/glossary-common-terms). A systemic approach to CVET is crucial to ensure adaptability to evolving demands.
This broad thematic category looks at ways of creating opportunities and ensuring access to re-skilling and upskilling pathways, allowing individuals to progress smoothly in their learning throughout their lives with better permeability between general and vocational education and training, and better integration and compatibility between initial and continuing VET and with higher education. Individuals should be supported in acquiring and updating their skills and competences and navigating easily through education and training systems. Strategies and campaigns that promote VET and LLL as an attractive and high-quality pathway, providing quality lifelong guidance and tailored support to design learning and career paths, and various incentives (financial and non-financial) to attract and support participation in VET and LLL fall into this thematic category as well.
This thematic category also includes many initiatives on making VET inclusive and ensuring equal education and training opportunities for various groups of learners, regardless of their personal and economic background and place of residence – especially those at risk of disadvantage or exclusion, such as persons with disabilities, the low-skilled and low-qualified, minorities, migrants, refugees and others.
This thematic sub-category refers to providing high-quality lifelong learning and career guidance services, including making full use of Europass and other digital services and resources.
This thematic sub-category refers to making VET pathways and programmes inclusive and accessible for all. It concerns measures and targeted actions to increase access and participation in VET and lifelong learning for learners from all vulnerable groups, and to support their school/training-to-work transitions. It includes measures to prevent early leaving from education and training. The thematic sub-category covers measures promoting gender balance in traditionally ‘male’ and ‘female’ professions and addressing gender-related and other stereotypes. The vulnerable groups are, but not limited to: persons with disabilities; the low-qualified/-skilled; minorities; persons of migrant background, including refugees; people with fewer opportunities due to their geographical location and/or their socioeconomically disadvantaged circumstances.
European priorities in VET
VET Recommendation
- VET as an attractive choice based on modern and digitalised provision of training and skills
- VET promoting equality of opportunities
Osnabrück Declaration
- Resilience and excellence through quality, inclusive and flexible VET
- Establishing a new lifelong learning culture - relevance of continuing VET and digitalisation