The General Inspectorate of Education and Science is the entity responsible for monitoring quality in pre-school and school education, through its professionals who are part of a special inspection profession.
Requirements for appointment
The ordinance regulating the recruitment procedure according to the terms of article 37(2) of the General Labour Law in Public Duties, approved by Law No. 35/2014, 20 June, in its current wording, admits general and special admission requirements legally provided for (article 11(3)(f) of Ordinance No. 233/2022, 9 September).
Initial qualifications: in terms of general admission requirements for the special inspection profession, bachelor’s degree (licenciatura), i.e., first cycle degree. Having additional qualifications (post-graduate certificate, master’s degree and doctorate) is only considered if one of the selection methods for the application process is curriculum assessment, which aims to assess, among other aspects, academic qualifications (Article 17(1)(c) of Ordinance 233/2022, 9 September).
In terms of curricular assessment, training and professional experience are also assessed, and in the competency assessment interview, information is obtained on professional knowledge directly related to the competencies considered essential for doing the job (Article 17(1)(c) and (d), respectively, of Ordinance 233/2022 9 September).
Differences between the basic training areas: according to the special inspection profession, the characterisation of jobs for inspection duties on the staff map, may provide for special knowledge or experience that the individual must have (Article 4(2) of Decree-Law No. 170/2009, 3 August).
Therefore, job vacancies opened via an application process stem from needs listed in education areas/dominions (e.g., pre-school, English, biology, physics, law) related to the first-cycle academic degree or legal equivalent.
Additional training and exams: candidates nominated for the career of inspector following a competition procedure depends on passing a specific training course, which takes place during a trial period. The specific training course is regulated by an ordinance issued by the member of the Government responsible for the area of public administration and the member of the Government responsible for the inspection service, the duration of which may not be less than six months.
This specific course is made up of initial theoretical training (two months), and training in a work context (five months) (article 5. of Decree-Law No 170/2009, 3 August).
Conditions of service
Recruitment: notification about a recruitment procedure is published in the government gazette (Diário da República).
According to the terms of article 17 of Ordinance 233/2022, 9 September, the following selection methods may be applied in the selection procedure, in accordance with article 36 of the General Labour Law in Public Duties: knowledge tests, psychological assessment, curricular assessment and competency assessment interview.
After the selection methods have been applied, the selected candidates work during a trial period, during which they are overseen by a panel.
Professional status: public employee – specialised inspection career by nomination. The special inspection profession is a single category career.
Salary: There are 16 salary scales in the specialised inspection career, ranging between 16 and 70 on the single salary index tables.
Working hours: 35 hours a week.
Professional mobility: according to the special inspection career, on the basis of a reasoned proposal from the head of the department, workers with an indefinite public employment relationship may exceptionally be appointed by the member of the Government responsible, on a seconded basis, to undertake duties inherent to the special inspection career. The maximum number is 5 % of the total number of workers in the respective department integrated into that career (article 13 of Decree-Law No. 170/2009, 3 August). Teachers on permanent appointment may also carry out technical-pedagogical duties at IGEC through statutory mobility. These arrangements have a duration defined by law and are not indefinite.
Dismissals: no provisions have been made for such measures. It is only possible to dismiss an inspector if a serious offence has been committed and a disciplinary process has been applied.
Retirement: with no loss of remuneration: 66 years and seven months of age.
Continuous professional training/development: there are two kinds of training – IGEC in-house training and self-training. The former is part of IGEC's annual training plan - which focusses on the training needs assessed among employees and issues relevant to inspections, normally with the collaboration of external specialists. This annual plan is part of seen in the annual activities plan. For the latter, inspectors have 100 hours credit per year that they can use for training of their choice in areas directly or indirectly related to professional duties.