Students block the entrance of Escola Soares dos Reis in Porto in protest
Students are blocking the school entrance to protest against poor facility conditions and to demand greater recognition and support for arts education.
Students are blocking the school entrance to protest against poor facility conditions and to demand greater recognition and support for arts education.
This update is from Bica
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Read today’s briefingThe municipality approved a 'family cheque' (cheque-família) of 150 euros to support families with school expenses. This benefit will begin during the current school year for students in secondary and vocational education and is planned to be extended to all other school cycles in the coming years.

The government has proposed a temporary legislative change allowing Basic Education graduates to teach first-cycle primary school students before completing their master's degree or pedagogical training. This measure aims to address chronic teacher shortages, particularly in areas with a high cost of living like Lisbon, and the government has committed to providing the necessary pedagogical training to these recruits. Unions have until 30 October to provide feedback, and the ministry intends for the change to take effect as soon as possible.

Only 12.7% of Portuguese school principals are satisfied with their pay, the lowest rate among 44 countries surveyed in the OECD's TALIS report. The Minister of Education plans to create a new statute for school directors by the end of 2026, which may include salary increases, greater management autonomy, and changes to the election process for these positions.