Basic education can also be concluded and certified via different pathways adapted to each student’s profile and individual characteristics, such as:

• Alternative curricular pathways (Percursos Curriculares Alternativos - PCA);
• Integrated education and training programme (Programa Integrado de Educação e Formação - PIEF).

Alternative curricular pathways

Between 2016 and 2018, Alternative Curricular Pathways (PCA) were an exceptional measure used when students’ school results showed no progress, even after other measures were taken to improve performance. These aimed to refocus the educational path with specific models and guidelines.

Decree-Law No 55/2018, 6 July, establishes that schools manage over 25% of the basic curricular models, so that they may develop plans for curricular and pedagogical innovation or for other areas, such as the alternative curricular pathways. According to Article 7 of Ordinance No 181/2019, 6 November, with amendments introduced by Ordinance No  306/2021, 17 December, the creation and development of Innovation Plans is regulated, which previews the design and development of Alternative Curricular Pathways within the general basic education. Bearing in mind the guiding principles of innovation plans, schools can temporarily manage the basic curriculum model for a set of same-grade students.

Integrated education and training programme

The integrated education and training programme (PIEF) was created as part of the Elimination of Child Labour Plan (Plano de Eliminação da Exploração do Trabalho Infantil - PEETI). This is regulated by Joint Order No 882/99, 28 September, published in the Diário da República, 2nd series, No 241, 15 October 1999, later revised by Joint Order No 948/2003, 25 August. This provision is currently regulated in Article 9 of Decree-Law No 55/2018, 6 July, in its current wording.

This programme was established to improve the response to cases of students leaving school because they were involved in child labour or other forms of exploitation of minors. This was done via social reintegration through school, becoming a socio-educational and training measure geared towards inclusion.

Currently, in order to help achieve the end of compulsory education and promote social inclusion, this programme can be adopted, once other measures have been exhausted, operating within the framework of various other types of provision.

The programme also develops competencies for citizenship, as well as social, community and solidarity activities.

It is temporary and exceptional, designed for young people between 15 and 18 who are at risk and/or in danger of educational and social exclusion, conferring certification of competences for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd cycles of basic education.

The PIEF measure is based on practical and differentiated work methodology, in order to promote education, vocational development and the conclusion of compulsory schooling.

Close monitoring by the pedagogical team, tutor and the local intervention officer, usually a social worker, facilitates a closer link between the school, family and social partners, creating the conditions for the reintegration of children and young people in the school environment.

Organisational variations and other forms of education

In basic education there are some organisational variations, designed to successfully meet pedagogical needs that occur in different circumstances, namely:

• Education for itinerant students
• Home schooling and individual tuition
• Distance learning
• Bilingual education

Education for itinerant students

Education for itinerant students is designed for the children of itinerant workers who often travel far from their place of residence (fair and circus workers, travelling salespeople, seasonal workers, culturally itinerant groups, liberal professions, cases of shared custody, etc.). It is aimed at children and pupils from pre-school through to secondary education, who, at their families’ discretion, may enrol in distance learning from the 2nd cycle of basic education onwards. 

As a result, these students attend various schools over the academic year (host schools) for varying lengths of time, thereby making use of the statute for itinerant schoolchildren.

The Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation (MECI) created the database of students who are children of itinerant workers and in collaboration with the schools where students are enrolled, monitors the educational path of children of itinerant workers from pre-school to upper secondary education.

Education for itinerant students aims to ensure educational continuity, as well assess the learning of itinerant workers’ children who are of compulsory school age, thus contributing to school success and reducing absenteeism.

For more information, see the website of the  Institute for Education, Quality and Evaluation (EduQA, I.P.).

Home schooling and individual tuition

Current legislation provides for forms of education designed to cater for families who, for reasons of professional mobility or strictly personal circumstances, wish to take greater responsibility for the education of their school-age children and choose to educate them outside the school setting.

Home schooling and individual tuition are regulated by Decree-Law 70/2021, 3 August, in its current wording, which sets the rules and procedures regarding enrolment and attendance, as well as the monitoring and certification of learning, so that all students develop the areas of skills, attitudes and values set out in the Exit Profile of students leaving compulsory education. This is done with reference to the curriculum documents in force for each subject, namely the essential learning for each school cycle in basic education and science-humanities courses in upper secondary education. 

Distance learning

Distance Learning (E@D) is regulated by Ordinance No 359/2019, 8 October, following Decree-Law no. 55/2018, 6th July.

Distance learning is an alternative for students unable to attend face-to-face classes. By using information and communication technologies (ICT) in the teaching and learning processes, everyone has access to education. This method is based on new pedagogical approaches (both teaching and learning), as well as innovative organisation and management of curricula that meet the specific needs of students and their particular contexts, while ensuring the necessary information security.

Distance learning (E@D) functions within a virtual learning environment, which is supported by a learning management system based on a flexible, personalised and inclusive pedagogical model. This allows multiple means, languages and resources to be included, information to be presented in an organised way, and interactions between the various participants when constructing and expanding virtual learning environments, enabling each student to progress successfully.

E@D is currently based at Fonseca Benevides upper secondary school (with 3rd cycle), in Lisbon. It is the only official educational provision of this type, provided by the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation for basic (from the 2nd cycle onwards) and upper secondary education. 

Bilingual education

Following on from an Early Bilingual Learning Project in basic education, the Bilingual Schools Programme (Programa Escolas Bilingues - PEBI) was created from the 2016/17 school year as part of a partnership between the Ministry of Education (through the Institute for Education, Quality and Evaluation - EduQA, I.P.) and the British Council Portugal, and is monitored by the Agency for the Management of the Education System (Agência para a Gestão do Sistema Educativo - AGSE, I.P.) in what education and teaching establishments on mainland Portugal are concerned, and as well as in relation to Portuguese schools abroad.

By encouraging early provision and sequential follow-up and coordination between levels of education, PEBI aims:

• to promote inclusive, multilingual and intercultural citizenship education, as a complementary response to the integration of children and students whose mother tongue is not Portuguese, valuing linguistic and cultural diversity and encouraging active participation in democratic life;

• to foster multiliteracy in schooling languages, developing greater awareness of the importance of the specific linguistic dimension of all areas of knowledge and creating opportunities for quality education, with meaningful learning, regardless of the language(s) used in learning;
• to sensitise pre-school children to learning English, using the child’s specific context, starting from their proposals, interests and preferences, while adopting a playful and informal approach;
• to gradually develop the communicative proficiency in English of students in compulsory schooling that is integrated with syllabus content ;
• to develop students’ ability to simultaneously support communication in English and knowledge of curriculum content in the language;
• to allow teachers to acquire good practices for teaching English and essential learning in the language to train teachers in best practices in English language teaching and in bilingual education and teaching methodology/CLIL for children and students;
• to support school management in the sustainable and high-quality implementation of the programme;
• to gradually increase the bilingual school network.

In basic education, PEBI consists of integrated development of essential learning in several non-linguistic subjects in English and learning English to develop literacy in the language. 

In the 1st cycle of basic education, the syllabus allows integrated learning of parts of curriculum from environmental studies, art education, mathematics and physical education, partly in English. In the 2^nd and 3^rd cycles of basic education, part of the curriculum/subject areas/disciplines that follow on from those covered by the syllabus in the previous cycle (e.g. history and geography of Portugal, natural sciences, visual education, technological education) continue to be taught in English. This is done in an integrated way, thus improving students' communicative proficiency in English.  

Throughout the various levels of education and teaching, the weekly workload will gradually increase. Therefore, the amount of integrated learning regarding subjects, of and in English varies between 7 to 9 hours per week in the 1st cycle, 9 to 10 hours per week in the 2nd cycle and 11 to 12 hours n the 3rd cycle of basic education, using the methodology and resources appropriate to this cycle of education.

Institutional support is given to schools by the MECI and the British Council, via supporting documents, monitoring and specialised training.

In 2025/2026, following a national call for applications, the network of bilingual schools comprises 42 schools (from pre-school to lower secondary levels)

The Bilingual and Intercultural Border Schools Project (PEBIF) is a cooperation project between the governments of Portugal and Spain and the Autonomous Communities, with the collaboration of the Organisation of Ibero-American States (OEI) as a strategic partner. The project’s main aim is to promote co-operation between Portugal and Spain with regard to educational, social and economic development of border territories through the creation of a network of schools.

The inclusion and appreciation of linguistic and cultural diversity in education are guiding principles that justify the project and the development of bilingual and intercultural pedagogical and didactic practices, which are consolidated by training and continuous education of teachers. Thus, the objective is to provide children and young people living in these border regions with quality education, which includes knowledge, skills and values associated with bilingualism and interculturalism, which, in turn, is relevant to citizenship, social cohesion, further education and employability in both countries. The PEBIF will last for four years, is also renewable for the same period of time, subject to evaluation and agreement between the countries.

This co-operation and coordination between the border territories involves schools and their educational communities, central government bodies, autonomous communities and higher education institutions. Teacher co-operation and networking is a cornerstone in the process of building a professional learning community.