Decree-Laws

Decree-Law No 47 587/67, 10 March - allows the Minister of Education to determine or authorise pedagogical experiments in public education, whilst responsible to the respective ministry. As a result, complementary upper-secondary and technical day and evening courses were created.

Decree-Law No 448/79, 13 November - university teaching career statute (republished by Decree-Law no. 205/2009).

Decree-Law No 185/81, 1 July - approves the polytechnic teaching career statute in public institutions, amended by Decree-Law No 207/2009, 31 August and by Law No 7/2010, 13 May.

Decree-Law No 310/83, 1 July - includes artistic education within the framework of general education by converting music conservatories into primary and upper-secondary schools, creating music colleges within the polytechnic structure.

Decree-Law No 165/85, 16 May – defines the IEFP technical-financial system for vocational training.

Decree-Law No 168/85, 20 May - creates the Luso-American Development Foundation (Fundação Luso-Americana para o Desenvolvimento).

Decree-Law No 287/88, 19 August - regulates in-service professionalisation of provisionally appointed tenured teachers in preparatory and upper-secondary education.

Decree-Law No 26/89, 21 January - creates vocational schools within non-tertiary education.

Decree-Law No 286/89, 29 August - approves curricula in private and cooperative education.

Decree-Law No 345/89,11 October- exempts provisionally appointed teachers in preparatory and upper-secondary education from the second year of training, provided certain requirements are fulfilled.

Decree-Law No 139-A/90, 28 April – approves pre-primary, basic and upper-secondary teaching career statutes, re-published by Decree-Law No 41/2012, 21 February and amended by Decree-Law No 146/2013, 22 October.

Decree-Law No 344/90, 2 November - establishes the general framework for the organisation of artistic pre-primary, school and extracurricular education.

Decree-Law No 74/91, 9 February - establishes the general organisation and development of adult education in relation to recurrent and extracurricular education.

Decree-Law No 190/91, 17 May - decrees the creation, nature and attributions of psychology and guidance services.

Decree-Law No 70/93, 10 March - establishes the system which regulates the organisation and operation of vocational schools in non-tertiary education.

Decree-Law No 147/97, 11 June – establishes the legal framework for pre-primary education development.

Decree-Law No 1/98, 2 January - amends the pre-primary, primary and upper-secondary education teaching career statute, approved by Decree-Law No 139-A/90, 28 April.

Decree-Law No 4/98, 8 January - establishes the regime for the creation, organisation and functioning of schools and vocational courses within non-higher education.

Decree-Law No 205/98 11 July – creates the national coordination council for higher education assessment (CNAVES).

Decree-Law No 296-A/98, 25 September - regulates access to and enrolment in higher education.

Decree-Law No 15-A/99, 19 January - amends tenure requirements for teaching zone staff and establishes access to in-service professionalisation for teachers, introducing changes to the in-service professionalisation system.

Decree-Law No 127/2000, 6 July - redefines the range of competences for teachers’ in-service professionalisation in private and cooperative education and vocational schools, as well as the award and publication of teachers' professional grades.

Decree-Law No 7/2003, 15 January - approves drafting of the education charter.

Decree-Law No 74/2004, 26 March - (amended by Decree-Law No 24/006, 6 February, and by Decree-Law No 4/2008, 7 January) defines the organisation and management of the curriculum, as well as the assessment of learning outcomes in upper-secondary education.

Decree-Law No 184/2004, 29 July - establishes the specific statutory system for non-teaching staff working in public pre-primary, primary and secondary education establishments.

Decree-Law No 42/2005, 22 February - defines the regulatory tools for the creation of the European higher education area.

Decree-Law No 67/2005, 15 March - regulates the Portuguese State’s recognition of academic degrees following the successful completion of an Erasmus Mundus master’s degree.

Decree-Law 121/2005, 26 July - third amendment to the pre-primary, basic and upper-secondary teaching career statute, approved by Decree-Law No 139-A/90, 28 April, and establishes measures regarding certain statutory aspects relating to teaching.

Decree-Law No 229/2005, 29 December - revises the systems which determines which groups subscribing to the CGA are exceptions to the rules created by the retirement/pension statute regarding length of service, retirement age and pension calculation formula. This makes them compatible with the public welfare service system that converges with those of the general social security scheme.

Decree-Law No 20/2006, 31 January - revises the legal framework of the application process for the selection and recruitment of teaching staff in pre-primary, basic and upper-secondary education, repealing Decree-Law No 35/2003, 27 February.

Decree-Law No 64/2006, 21 March - establishes special conditions of access and entry in higher education, in particular for students aged over 23.

Decree-Law No 74/2006, 24 March - new legal regime for higher education degrees and diplomas (in accordance with the Bologna Process).

Decree-Law No 88/2006, 23 May - regulates Technological Specialisation Courses (CET) and applies to all institutions offering these types of courses.

Decree-Law No 15/2007, 19 January - introduces amendments to Teaching Career Statute of pre-primary, basic and upper-secondary teachers, approved by Decree-Law No 139/-A/90, 28 April, and amends the legal regime for Continuous professional development of teachers, approved by Decree-Law No 249/93, 9 November; creates the Scientific Council for Teacher Evaluation.

Decree-Law No 43/2007, 22 February - approves the legal framework of the professional qualification for teaching in pre-primary, basic and upper-secondary education.

Decree-Law No 341/2007, 12 October - establishes a new system for the recognition of foreign degrees of identical level, goals and nature to the degrees of bachelor’s, master’s and PhD assigned by Portuguese higher education institutions.

Decree-Law No 357/2007, 29 October - regulates the process of completion and certification of adults with incomplete educational pathways at upper-secondary level and developed under study plans already extinct.

Decree-Law No 369/2007, 5 November - in accordance with Decree-Law No 74/2006, 24 March, creates the Agency for Assessment and Accreditation of Higher Education - A3ES – entity responsible for the assessment and accreditation of Higher Education Institutions and their cycles of studies, to promote quality assurance in higher education.

Decree-Law No 396/2007, 31 December - establishes the legal framework of the National Qualifications System and defines the structures that regulate its operations.

Decree-Law No 3/2008, 7 January - defines specialised support to be provided in pre-primary, basic and upper-secondary education, in the public, private and cooperative sectors, to create adequacy conditions regarding the educational process to special educational needs of students with permanent limitations.

Decree-Law No 75/2008, 22 April - (amended and republished by the Decree-Law No 137/2012, 2 July) approves the regime of autonomy, administration and management of public institutions of pre-primary, basic and upper-secondary education.

Decree-Law No 90/2008, 30 May - aims to introduce certain changes in the general access and enrolment system in higher education.

Decree-Law No 107/2008, 25 June - (amended Decree-Law No 67/2005, 25 March and Decree-Law No 74/2006, 24 March) aims to promote the development of the Bologna Process in Higher Education and further simplification and streamlining of procedures for requesting authorisation to provide courses, introducing measures to ensure more flexibility in access to this level of education, creating the status of student in part-time, allowing enrolment  in individual curricular units/courses, by students and non-students, supporting and simplifying the process of proving the ownership of degrees and diplomas.

Decree-Law No 144/2008, 28 July – defines the framework for transferring responsibilities to municipalities in education.

Decree-Law No 30/2009, 3 February - establishes the legal framework regarding the Portuguese state’s recognition of teaching using Portuguese curricula and programmes in private schools outside the country.

Decree-Law No 51/2009, 27 February - implements the second amendment to Decree-Law No 20/2006, 31 January, which revised the legal framework of the competitive procedure for selection and recruitment of teaching staff in pre-primary, basic and upper-secondary education, as well as special education, and which repealed Decree-Law No 35/2003, 27 February.

Decree-Law No 55/2009, 2 March - establishes the legal framework for the allocation and implementation of school social support.

Decree-Law No 93/2009, 16 April - approves the attribution of items aiding people with disabilities and people with temporary incapacity.

Decree-Law No 205/2009, 31 August - Statute of the University Teaching Career (ECDU).

Decree-Law No 207/2009, 31 August - Statute of the Polytechnic Higher Education Teaching Career (ECPDESP).

Decree-Law No 230/2009, 4 September - second amendment to Decree-Law No 74/2006, 24 March, which approves the legal regime of degrees and diplomas of higher education.

Decree-Law No 270/2009, 30 September - implements the ninth amendment to the pre-primary, basic and upper-secondary education teaching career statute, approved by Decree-Law No 139-A/90, 28 April, the third amendment to the Decree-Law No 20/2006, 31 January, and the first amendment to Decree-Law No 104/2008, 24 June.

Decree-Law No 281/2009, 6 October – creates the National Childhood Early Intervention System.

Decree-Law No 75/2010, 23 June - amends the pre-primary, basic and upper-secondary teachers teaching career statute, approved by Decree-Law No 139-A/90, 28 April and subsequent legislation on teacher performance appraisal.

Decree-Law No 125/2011, 29 December – approves the Education and Science Ministry Organic Law.

Decree-Law No 41/2012, 21 February - proceeds to 11th amendment of the pre-primary, basic and upper-secondary teaching career statute, approved by Decree-Law No 139/-A/90, 28 April.

Decree-Law No 42/2012, 22 February - changes the system that establishes the upper-secondary final grade of science-humanities course in recurrent education for the purpose of further study. This is the fifth amendment to Decree-Law No 74/2004, 26 March, which establishes the guiding principles of how the curriculum is organised and managed, as well as how learning is assessed in upper-secondary education.

Decree-Law No 132/2012, 27 June - establishes the new recruitment and mobility system in basic and upper-secondary education for teaching staff and trainers and specialised professionals.

Decree-Law No 137/2012, 2 July – amends the autonomy, administration and management system of public pre-primary education and basic and upper-secondary education.

Decree-Law No 139/2012, 5 July - establishes the guiding principles for the organisation and management of curricula, assessment of knowledge and skills to be acquired and developed by pupils in basic and upper-secondary education.

Decree-Law No 176/2012, 2 August - regulates the enrolment and attendance system for children between 6 and 18 years old in compulsory education.

Decree-Law No 102/2013, 25 July - creates the Institute of Educational Assessment, I.P., (IAVE, I.P.), which succeeds the Assessment Office.

Decree-Law No 115/2013, 7 August - amends and republishes Decree-Law No 74/2006, 24 March, which approves the legal framework for higher education degrees and diplomas.

Decree-Law No 152/2013, 4 November – applies the private and cooperative non-higher education statute.

Decree-Law No 22/2014, 11 February  - establishes the legal framework for teachers' continuous training and defines the respective system for coordination, administration and support.

Decree-Law No 36/2014, 10 March - regulates the international student statute, as mentioned in no. 7 of article 16 of Law No 37/2003, 22 August, which establishes the criteria for higher education funding.

Decree-Law No 43/2014, 18 March - creates professional higher education technical programmes as a short-cycle, non-degree higher education training.

Decree-Law No 79/2014, 14 May - approves the legal framework for teaching qualifications in pre-primary, basic and upper-secondary education.

Decree-Law No 83-A/2014, 23 May - makes a third amendment to Decree-Law No 132/2012, 27 June, which establishes the new teaching staff selection, recruitment and mobility system in pre-primary, basic and upper-secondary education establishments overseen by the Ministry of Education and Science.

Decree-Law No 113/2014, 16 July - regulates the higher education special admissions system.

Decree-Law No 92/2014, 20 June - establishes the legal framework of private and public vocational schools (non-higher education), regulating their creation, organisation and operation, as well as their supervision by the State.

Decree-Law No 176/2014, 12 December  - introduces English as a compulsory subject from the 3rd year of schooling, defining the professional qualification to teach English in the 1st cycle, creating a new recruitment group.

Decree-Law No 115/2015, 22 June - establishes the terms and conditions to become a childminder and practise, as well as the penalty system applicable.

Decree-Law No 63/2016, 13 September - creates the diploma of higher professional technician and makes the second amendment to Decree-Law No 64/2006, 21 March, the fourth amendment to Decree-Law No 74/2006, 24 March, and the first amendment to Decree-Law No 113/2014, 16 July.

Decree-Law No 86-A / 2016, 29 December - defines the framework for vocational training in public administration.

Decree-Law No 14/2017, 26 January - amends the legal framework of the National Qualification System and defines the structures supporting its operation.

Decree-Law No 16/2018, 7 March - creates the Portuguese sign language recruitment group and approves the conditions for Portuguese sign language teachers to access the external selection and recruitment competition for teaching staff.

Decree-Law No 54/2018, 6 July - establishes the legal framework for inclusive education, advocating an integrated and continuous view of the educational approach, redefining the responsibilities of multidisciplinary teams identifying measures to support learning and inclusion that is tailored to each student. It introduces changes in the way schools and support structures are organised, with the specialised unit model reconfigured into a learning support centre model.

Decree-Law No 55/2018, 6 July- establishes basic and upper-secondary education curricula and the guiding principles of learning assessment.

Decree-Law No 62/2018, 6 August - amends the International Student Statute established by Decree-Law No 36/2014, 10 March, establishing the legal framework for students in humanitarian emergency situations to enter higher education institutions.

Decree-Law No 65/2018, 16 August - amends the legal framework for higher education degrees and diplomas.

Decree-Law No 66/2018, 16 August - approves the legal framework for the recognition of academic degrees and higher education diplomas awarded by foreign higher education institutions.

Decree-Law No 133/2019, 3 September - approves the legal framework for distance learning in higher education.

Decree-Law No 21/2019, 30 January - establishes the framework for transferring powers to municipal and inter-municipal bodies in the field of education.

Decree-Law No 11/2020, 2 April - creates the special higher education admission procedure for students who have completed an upper-secondary school dual certification courses and specialised artistic courses.

Decree-Law No 14-G/2020, 13 April - establishes the measures to be applied in education due to the SARS-cov-2 pandemic, creating an exceptional and temporary regime regarding learning and its assessment, the school calendar, tests and examinations in basic and upper-secondary education, enrolment, registration for national final examinations, teaching and non-teaching staff.

Decree-Law No 20-H/2020, 14 May - establishes exceptional measures for the organisation and operation of educational and training activities, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Decree-Law No 3-C/2021, 22 January - amends the regulations regarding the state of emergency decreed by the President of the Republic.

Decree-Law No 27/2021, 16 April – adapts and modernises the incentive system for cooperation between higher education institutions with public administration and companies, as well as support for diversifying training provision and lifelong learning.

Decree-Law No 70/2021, 3 August - approves the legal framework for individual education and home education.

Decree-Law No 24-B/2022, 11 March - establishes exceptional measures regarding the temporary protection for those displaced from Ukraine.

Decree-Law No 28-A/2022, 25 March - establishes measures to support families and companies affected by the armed conflict in Ukraine.

Decree-Law No 39/2022, 31 May – amends the technological specialisation courses framework.

Regulatory Decrees

Regulatory Decree No 5/2010, 24 December - establishes the amount of remuneration supplements due for management of school clusters or non-clustered schools, repealing Regulatory Decree No 1-B/2009, 5 January.

Regulatory Decree No 15/2012, 27 January - defines the nature, mission and powers of the General Inspectorate of Education and Science.

Regulatory Decree No 13/2012, 20 January - approves the organisational structure of the Directorate-General for Education and Science Statistics (DGEEC).

Regulatory Decree No 26/2012, 21 February - regulates the system for performance appraisal of pre-primary, basic and upper-secondary education teaching staff.

Regulatory Decree No 9/2018, 11 September- regulates new systems for foreign citizens who wish to attend vocational education courses in Portugal and for entrepreneurial and highly qualified immigrants involved with entrepreneurship, technology and innovation.

Despatches

Despatch No 17387/2005, 12 August - defines rules and guiding principles for each school year regarding the organisation of the weekly timetable of teaching staff in public pre-primary, basic and upper-secondary establishments.

Despatch No 11203/2007, 8 June – creates guidelines regarding Centros Novas Oportunidades (New Opportunities Centre) teams and all training bodies providing AET courses.

Despatch No 978/2011, 12 January – describes the qualification levels for the National Qualifications Framework (QNQ).

Despatch No 10973-D/2014, 27 August - amends the regulation of scholarships for higher education students.

Despatch No 14278/2014, 26 November - approves the support item allocation system product list (SAPA), which is available to all people with disabilities and temporary impairments.

Despatch No 5291/2015, 21 May - establishes the National Information and Communication Technology Resource Centres network for Special Education (CRTIC)

Despatch No 6478/2015, 11 June - establishes the budget to finance support products for people with disabilities and temporary disability.

Despatch No 7225/2015, 1 July - approves the general procedures of the support item allocation system.

Despatch No 6173/2016, 10 May - creates the citizenship education working group, whose mission is to design a strategy for public schools that produces a set of citizenship skills and knowledge in all years.

Despatch No 9180/2016, 19 July - ratifies the curricular guidelines for pre-primary education.

Despatch No 6478/2017, 26 July - ratifies the compulsory education student exit profile.

Despatch No 6944-A/2018, 19 July - approves essential learning for basic education.

Despatch No 8476-A/2018, 31 August - approves the essential learning for the subjects of the following science-humanities courses: science and technology, socioeconomic sciences, languages ​​and humanities and visual arts.

Despatch No 921/2019, 24 January - approves the textbook reuse manual.

Despatch No 6954/2019, 6 August - establishes the guidelines governing the 2O programme that deals with young people who have left the education system and are at risk of social exclusion.

Despatch No 7728/2019, 2 September - establishes continuity of the pilot project offering Mandarin as a Foreign Language III (LE III) on science-humanities courses in upper-secondary education, as well as its extension to the curriculum of vocational courses.

Despatch No 1307/2020, 29 January – creates the Higher Education Places Work Group 2020.

Despatch No 6352/2020, 16 June – amends the Textbooks Reuse Manual for 2020.

Despatch No 6605-A/2021, 6 July – defines the curriculum frameworks of the different aspects of curriculum development, including external assessment.

Despatch No 9276-A/2021, 20 September – approves revision of the Regulation for the Higher Education Student Scholarship Award Regulation, republished by Despatch No 9138/2020, 25 September.

Despatch No 11740-A/2021 (2nd series), 26 November – approves the +Superior Programme Regulation for the 2021-2022 academic year.

Despatch No 2044/2022, 16 February – establishes the rules guaranteeing support for students whose first language is not Portuguese.

Despatch No 3689/2022, 29 March – contains the approved list of workers with a public employment contract for head of school administration services and in the general careers of technical and operational assistants to be transferred to local council staff.

Despatch No 8356/2022, 8 July – approves the school calendar for the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years, for public pre-primary, basic and upper secondary schools and private special education schools, as well as the test and examination calendar.

Despatch No 10914-A/2022, 8 September - establishes the teacher training requirements appropriate to subject areas for school recruitment procedures, on implementation of Article 161 of Decree-Law No 53/2022, 12 August.

Despatch No 702/2023, 13 January – approves the essential learning for the upper secondary mathematics curriculum component/subject included in the basic curricular model of the science and humanities courses and vocational education.

Joint Orders

Joint Order No 300/97, 4 September - defines the norms regulating parent and guardian contributions to non-educational component costs of pre-primary establishments.

Joint Order No 882/99, 28 September - creates the Integrated Education and Training Programme (PIEF).

Joint Order No 948/2003, 26 September – revises and reformulates the Integrated Education and Training Programme (PIEF).

Joint Order No 453/2004, 27 June - regulates the creation of adult education and training courses with dual certification geared towards young students aged 15 years old or over.

Legislative Orders

Legislative Order No 140-A/78, 22 June - implements structural and pedagogical changes at complementary upper-secondary education level, informed by new principles and more comprehensive objectives.

Legislative Order No 194-A/83, 21 October - reorganises technical education that meets the country’s needs for skilled labour, as well as the implementation of an employment policy for young people.

Legislative Order No 98-A/92, 20 June – approves the student assessment system in basic education.

Legislative Order No 36/2007, 8 October - regulates the process of reorienting the training path of pupils to facilitate the change between courses of upper-secondary education, created by Decree-Law No 74/2004, 26 March, with the amendments introduced by Decree-Law No 24/2006, 6 February and Decree-Law No 272/2007, 26 July.

Legislative Order No 29/2008, 5 June - amends Legislative Order No 36/2007, 8 October, which regulates the readjustment process of the training pathway of upper-secondary students.

Legislative Order No 20/2012, 3 October - establishes guiding standards for creating third generation priority intervention educational areas (TEIP3), as well as the rules for drafting programme or autonomy contracts to be signed between educational/teaching establishments and the Ministry of Education and Science.

Legislative Order No 10-A/2015, 19 June - updates and facilitates the pedagogical and organisational autonomy of each school and harmonises them with the principles of the legal framework of autonomy, administration and management of state pre-primary, basic and upper-secondary education. It is designed to offer greater flexibility when organising teaching activities, increasing efficiency in service delivery and enhancing educational outcomes.

Legislative Order No 1-F/2016, 5 April - regulates the assessment and certification system for student learning in basic education, as well as measures promoting educational success that can be adopted while monitoring and developing learning.

Legislative Order No 4-A/2018, 14 February – approves the regulation for external assessment tests and equivalence tests for basic and upper-secondary education attendance.

Legislative Order No 6/2018, 12 April - establishes enrolment and respective re-enrolment procedures and the rules governing the distribution of children and pupils.

Legislative Order No 10-A/2018, 19 June - establishes the system that forms groups and classes, as well as the timetables of educational establishments providing compulsory education.

Legislative Order No 10-B/2018, 6 July - establishes the rules that govern the organisation of the school year in public pre-primary, basic and upper-secondary education.

Legislative Order No 16/2019, 4 June - amends Normative Order No 10-A/2018, published in the Diário da República, 2nd Series, no. 116, of 19 June, 2018.

Legislative Order No 5/2020, 21 April - amends enrolment and respective re-enrolment procedures and the rules governing the distribution of children and pupils.

Legislative Order No 10-B/2021, 14 April – enacts the second amendment to Legislative Order No 6/2018, 12 April, with the wording of Legislative Order No 5/2020, 21 April, which establishes enrolment dates and procedures (and respective re-enrolment), delineates the rules for how children and pupils are distributed for the 2021-2022 school year.

Legislative Order No 6/2022, 16 February – makes the second amendment to Legislative Order No 10-A/2018, 19 June, which establishes the system for schools creating groups and classes, as well as opening hours for compulsory schooling.

Laws

Law No 9/79, 19 March – establishes the foundations of private and cooperative education.

Law No 46/86, 14 October - (amended by Law No 115/97, 19 September, and by Law No 49/05, 30 August) – the Education Act, which establishes the general framework of the education system.

Law No 38/94, 21 November – establishes the higher education assessment system.

Law No 5/97, 10 February - Pre-primary Education Framework Law, which sets out the legal framework for developing and expanding pre-primary education.

Law No 115/97, 19 September - amends Law No 46/86, 14 October (Education Act).

Law No 7/99, 29 January – recognises the right to cultivate and promote the Mirandese language as cultural heritage.

Law No 31/2002, 20 December - approves the evaluation system for non-higher education, developing the regime foreseen in the Law No 46/86, 14 October (Comprehensive Law on the Education System).

Law No 37/2003, 22 August - establishes the criteria for higher education funding.

Law No 41/2003, 22 August – regulates municipal education boards.

Law No 49/2005, 30 August - second amendment to the Education Act.

Law No 47/2006, 28 August – defines the system of assessment, certification and adoption of textbooks for basic and upper-secondary education, as well as the principles and objectives that socio-educational support should obey regarding the acquisition and loan of textbooks.

Law No 23/2007, 4 July - approves the legal framework regarding the arrival, permanence, exit and removal of foreign nationals from national territory.

Law No 38/2007, 16 August - establishes the legal framework for assessing the rules for higher education regarding the procedures undertaken by the Higher Education Assessment and Accreditation Agency - A3ES.

Law No 62/2007, 10 September - establishes the legal framework for higher education institutions, regulating their formation, powers and organisation, as well as the functioning and responsibilities of their respective bodies, the tutelage and public supervision regarding their autonomy.

Law No 21/2008, 12 May – defines specialised support in pre-primary education and basic and upper-secondary education in the public, private and cooperative sectors.

Law No 85/2009, 27 August - establishes the regime of compulsory schooling for children and youth who are school age and establishes the universality of preschool education for children from the age of five onwards.

Law No 7/2010, de 13 de May – the first amendment, via parliamentary consideration, to Decree-Law No 207/2009, 31 August, which amends the Polytechnic Higher Education Teaching Career Statute

Law No 8/2010, 13 May - amends the university teaching career statute.

Law No 33/2012, 23 August – makes the sixth amendment to the private and cooperative education statute.

Law No 51/2012, 5 September - approves the Student Statute and School Ethics, which sets out students’ rights and obligations in basic and upper-secondary education. It also outlines the commitment of parents or guardians and the rest of the educational community to their education and training, revoking Law No 30/2002, 20 December.

Law No 66-B/2012, 31 December – State budget for 2013.

Law No 75/2013, September 12 - establishes the legal framework for local authorities; approves the legal status of inter-municipal bodies; establishes the legal framework for the delegations of powers from Government to municipalities and inter-municipal bodies; and approves the legal framework of local associations.

Law No 35/2014, 20 June - approves the General Civil Service Labour Law (LLPF).

Law No 82-A/2014, 31 December – approves the Major Plan Options for 2015.

Law No 65/2015, 3 July - first amendment to Law No 85/2009, 27 August, establishing universal pre-primary education for children from the age of four.

Law No 7-A/2016, 30 March – State budget for 2016.

Law No 42/2016, 28 December - State budget for 2017.

Law No 68/2017, 9 August - establishes the phased payment of tuition fees owed by higher education students and a special payment system for those receiving social support grants.

Law No 114/2017, 29 December - State budget for 2018. Determines that teachers’ length of service would again count towards career progression.

Law No 50/2018, 16 August - establishes the framework for transferring powers to local authorities and inter-municipal bodies, implementing principles of subsidiarity, administrative decentralisation and local government autonomy.

Law No 71/2018, de 31 de December – approves the state budget for 2019.

Law No 28/2019, 29 March - establishes a presumption of legal entry when granting a residence permit for work purposes, enacting the seventh amendment to Law No 23/2007, 4 July, which approves the legal framework for the entry, stay, exit and expulsion of foreigners from Portugal.

Law No 79/2019, 4 September - establishes various applications of occupational safety and health system in the Labour Law and complementary legislation regarding public administration bodies and services.

Law No 94/2019, 4 September – the first amendment to Law No 38/2007, 16 August, approves the legal framework for assessment in higher education.

Law No 96/2019, 4 September - establishes free textbooks for compulsory education on the public network, making the second amendment to Law No 47/2006, 28 August.

Law No 116/2019, 13 September - first amendment, by parliamentary consideration, to Decree-Law No 54/2018, 6 July, which establishes the legal framework for inclusive education.

Law No 28/2019, 29 March – amends the legal system for the arrival, permanence, exit and removal of foreign nationals from national territory.

Law No 42/2019, 21 June - determines that the single consequence for non-payment of fees is non-recognition of any academic achievements, making the fourth amendment to Law No. 37/2003, 22 August, which establishes the foundations for financing higher education.

Law No 75/2019, 2 September - establishes mechanisms to settle debts for non-payment of fees in public higher education, making the fifth amendment to Law No. 37/2003, 22 August, which establishes the foundations for financing higher education.

Law No 36/2021, 14 June – approves the framework-law for public utility status.

Law No 2/2022, 3 January – establishes the gradual extension of free places for all children attending crèches managed by private not-for-profit institutions, as well as childminders managed by the ISS, I.P.

Ordinances

Ordinance No 401/2007, 5 April - regulates the regimes concerning change course, transfer and re-entry into higher education.

Ordinance No 230/2008, 7 March - defines the legal framework of education courses, adult education and training courses and modular training.

Ordinance No 208/2008, 27 February - defines the terms to facilitate a visa procedure for obtaining residence authorisation to nationals of third countries referred to in paragraph 1 of Article 62 of Law No 23/2007, 4 July, participating in community programmes to promote mobility within European Union (EU) or the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP).

Ordinance No 1497/2008, 19 December - establishes the conditions for access, organisation, management and functioning of apprenticeship courses, as well as the assessment and certification of learning.

Ordinance No 212/2009, 23 February - identifies the requirements that attribute professional qualifications for teaching in special education recruitment groups, as referred to in paragraph e) of Article 3 of Decree-Law No 27/2006, 10 February.

Ordinance No 365/2009, 7 April - regulates the competitive procedure for the recruitment of teaching staff in pre-primary, basic and upper-secondary education for staff in school clusters and for non-clustered schools legally defined as priority.

Ordinance No 782/2009, 23 July - regulates the National Qualifications Framework and defines the descriptors for national qualification levels.

Ordinance No 1262/2009, 15 October - creates Portuguese courses for speakers of other languages.

Ordinance No 1100/2010, 22 October - approves training programme in basic competences on adult education and training courses or recognition, validation and certification processes of basic level competences.

Ordinance No 214/2011, 30 May - establishes the pedagogical skills training and certification system for trainers who work within the National Qualifications System.

Ordinance No 262/2011, 31 August - determines the regulatory standards for the establishment and operation of crèches.

Ordinance No 283/2011, 24 October - second amendment to Ordinance no. 230/2008, of 7 March, which defines the legal framework of adult education and training courses (AET courses) and modular training, as stipulated in Decree Law No 396/2007, 31 December.

Ordinance No 216-B/2012, 18 July - first amendment to Ordinance No 1262/2009, 15 October, which creates courses of Portuguese for speakers of other languages, as well as the rules for teaching and certification.

Ordinance No 242/2012, 10 August - defines the regime for the organisation and running of the science-humanities courses at upper-secondary education level [grades 10 to 12], in the recurrent education category.

Ordinance No 411/2012, 14 December [223] - first amendment to Ordinance NO 262/2011, 31 August, which determines the regulatory standards for the establishment and operation of crèches.

Ordinance No 203/2013, 17 June - creates the Active Life – Qualified Work (Vida Ativa - Emprego Qualificado) measure.

Ordinance No 192/2014, 26 September - regulates the creation and maintenance of the registration database of the approves the support item allocation system product list (SAPA), which aims to ensure the allocation of support products to people with disabilities or incapacities, whether permanent or temporary, to compensate and mitigate their limitations regarding activity and restrictions on participation.

Ordinance No 60-A/2015, 2 March - establishes the European Social Fund’s specific legal framework.

Ordinance No 78/2015, 17 March - approves the prescription form for support products under the support item allocation system (SAPA) listed in the attachments to this Ordinance.

Ordinance No 196-A/2015, 1 July - defines the criteria, rules and forms underlying the cooperation model between the Social Security Institute, I. P. (SSI, I. P.) and the private social solidarity institutions, or legally equivalent, for social intervention, in accordance with the social action subsystem.

Ordinance No 232/2015, 6 August - defines the terms under which nannies work within an institution.

Ordinance No 644-A/2015, 24 August - states that, as part of their autonomy, 1st-cycle school clusters provide optional curriculum enrichment activities (educational, cultural and recreational), which complement curricular components.

Ordinance No 122/2016, 4 May – adopts the regulation establishing the European Social Fund’s specific legal framework applicable to the operations supported by this fund, regarding eligible expenses and maximum costs, as well as the operational rules of the respective applications.

Ordinance No 232/2016, 29 August - regulates the creation, the organisation and operation of Qualifica Centres.

Ordinance No 254/2016, 26 September - creates a distance learning pilot trial as part of upper-secondary education provision (distance recurrent - ESRaD), to begin in the 2016/2017 school year.

Ordinance No 47/2017, 1 February - regulates the national credit system for vocational education and training, while defining the “Qualifica Passport” model.

Ordinance No 272/2017, 13 September - makes the first amendment to Ordinance No 293-A / 2016, 18 November (concerns the special regime applicable to deferred tax assets resulting from the non-deduction of negative equity costs and changes with impairment losses on credit and with post-employment or long-term employee benefits).

Ordinance No 29/2018, 23 January – defines the rules for promotion to the 5th and 7th scale for teachers in pre-primary, basic and upper secondary education.

Ordinance No 119/2018, 4 May - defines the terms and repositioning of pre-primary, basic and upper-secondary education teachers on the teaching career scale.

Ordinance No 223-A/2018, 3 August - regulates the educational provision of basic education provided for in paragraph 2, article 7 of Decree-Law No 55/2018, 6 July.

Ordinance No 226-A/2018, 7 August - regulates science-humanities courses, referred to in paragraph a) of no. 4, article 7 of Decree-Law No 55/2018, 6 July.

Ordinance No 229-A/2018, 14 August - regulates the specialised artistic courses (dance, music, singing and Gregorian chant, referred to in paragraph 4 (c) of article 7 of Decree-Law No 55/2018, 6 July.

Ordinance No 232-A/2018, 20 August - regulates the specialised artistic courses of communication design, product design, artistic production and audio-visual communication referred to in no. 4 of article 7 of Decree-Law No 55/2018, 6 July.

Ordinance No 235-A/2018, 23 August - regulates the professional courses referred to in subparagraphs a) of paragraph 1 of article 9 of Decree-Law No 396/2007, 31 December, in its current wording, and b) of paragraph 4 of article 7 of Decree-Law No 55/2018, 6 July.

Ordinance No 111/2019, 12 April - defines the streamlining of visa procedures for foreign students.

Ordinance No 181/2019, 11 June - defines the terms and conditions under which schools, within the scope of curriculum autonomy and flexibility, may implement more than 25% of the basic curricular matrices of educational and training offerings of basic and secondary education.

Ordinance No 359/2019, 8 October - regulates distance learning in paragraph a) of no. 1 of article 8 of Decree-Law No 55/2018, 6 July

Ordinance No 183/2020, 5 August - creates Portuguese as host language courses, as well as the rules regarding their organisation, operation and certification.

Ordinance No 250-A/2020, 23 October - creates and regulates the "Jovem + Digital" (Young + Digital) Programme.

Ordinance No 586-A/2020, 28 September – approves the appointment of up to 1,500 operational assistants on fixed-term contracts until the end of the 2020/2021 school year.

Ordinance No 194/2021, 17 September - defines the electronic format diplomas and certificates for basic and upper secondary-level education and training provision.

Ordinance No 306/2021, 17 December - makes the first amendment to Ordinance No 181/2019, 11 June, which defines, as part of autonomy and curricular flexibility, the terms and conditions under which schools may implement a management higher than 25% of the basic curricular models of basic and upper secondary education and training provision, in order to develop innovation plans.

Ordinance No 61/2022, 31 January - regulates the recognition, validation and certification of competences regarding the Qualifica Programme.

Ordinance No 62/2022, 31 January - regulates the creation and the organisation and operation of specialised adult qualification centres.

Ordinance No 65/2022, 1 February - makes the first amendment to Ordinance No 223-A/2018, 3 August, which regulates the basic education provision in No. 2 of article 7 of Decree-Law No55/2018, 6 July, in its current wording, introducing the basic drama course for the 2nd and 3rd cycles of basic education.

Ordinance No 66/2022, 1 February - regulates the certified modular training courses foreseen in subparagraph f) of paragraph 1 of Article 9 of Decree-Law No 396/2007, Decree-Law No396/2007, 31 December.

Ordinance No 70/2022, 2 February - regulates the apprenticeship courses foreseen in subparagraph b) of paragraph 1 of Article 9 of Decree-Law No 396/2007, 31 December.

Ordinance No 86/2022, 4 February - regulates the adult education and training courses, called "AET courses".

Ordinance No 184/2022, 21 July - enacts the first amendment to Ordinance No 183/2020, 5 August, which creates Portuguese as a Host Language courses, called "PHL courses".

Ordinance No 198/2022, 27 July - regulates the implementation conditions for free attendance of crèches and family creches, part of the cooperation system, as well as with childminders overseen by the Social Security Institute, I. P.

Ordinance No 206/2022, 19 August - defines the operational conditions for technological specialisation courses.

Ordinance No 305/2022, 22 December - extends free attendance to children attending licensed crèches in the private for-profit network.

Ordinance No 21/2023, 6 January - creates the "Green Skills & Jobs" programme, vocational training in energy.

Rectifications

Statement of Rectification No 32-C/2008, 16 June – makes an eighth amendment to Decree-Law No 296-A/98, 25 September, which establishes application criteria and access to higher education.

Statement of Rectification No 32/2014, 27 June – master's degree specialisations, minimum training requirements for admission and recruitment groups.

Statement of Rectification No 29-A/2018, 4 September - rectifies Decree-law No 55/2018, 6 July, which establishes the curriculum of basic and upper-secondary education and the guiding principles of the assessment of learning, published in the Diário da República, 1st series, no. 129, of July 6, 2018.

Resolutions of the Council of Ministers

Resolution of the Council of Ministers No 173/2007, 7 November - approves a set of measures regarding vocational training reforms agreed with most social partners who are members of the Standing Committee on Social Dialogue.

Resolution of the Council of Ministers No 97/2010, 14 December - approves the National Disability Strategy 2011-2013.

Resolution of the Council of Ministers No 15/2014, 24 February - creates the national agency for the management of the Erasmus+ Programme in Portugal.

Resolution of the Council of Ministers No 23/2016, 24 March - creates the National School Success Programme.

Resolution of the Council of Ministers No 78/2016, 30 November - defines a set of general guidelines for coordinating internationalisation policy of higher education and science and technology with other public internationalisation policies.

Resolution of the Council of Ministers No 32/2019, 14 February - approves the Qualifica Programme.

Resolution of the Council of Ministers No 141/2019, 20 August - approves the National Global Migration Pact Implementation Plan.

Resolution of the Council of Ministers No 30/2020, 21 April - approves the Digital Transition Action Plan.

Resolution of the Council of Ministers No 53-D/2020, 20 July - establishes exceptional and temporary measures for organising the 2020/2021 school year during the COVID-197 pandemic.

Resolution of the Council of Ministers No 90/2021, 7 July - approves the 21|23 Escola+ integrated plan for remedial learning.

Resolution of the Council of Ministers  No 115/2021, 12 August - extends the mandate of the National Management Agency for Erasmus+ Education and Training Programme.

Resolution of the Council of Ministers No 113/2021, 18 August - extends the mandate of the National Agency Erasmus+ Youth in Action for youth and sport.

Resolution of the Council of Ministers  No 186/2021, 21 December - approves the public investment programme for research and development for 2021 -2030. 

Resolution of the Council of Ministers  No 29-A/2022, 1 March - establishes the criteria for temporary protection to those displaced from Ukraine as a result of the recent armed conflict in the country.

Resolution of the Council of Ministers  No 29-D/2022, 11 March - extends the scope of temporary protection to persons displaced from Ukraine as a result of the recent armed conflict in the country.

Resolution of the Council of Ministers  No 121/2022, 9 December - approves the Portuguese Cooperation Strategy 2030. Establishes that PCS 2030’s geographical priorities are the Portuguese-speaking African Countries and East Timor, focussing on three areas: a) development cooperation; b) education for development; c) humanitarian and emergency aid.

Resolution of the Council of Ministers  No 3/2023, 17 January - approves the Child Guarantee Action Plan 2022-2030.

Official policy documents

Essential learning – Essential learning (EL) is made up of key curriculum guidance documents for planning, implementing and assessing teaching and learning, and aim to develop the competences included in the exit profile of students leaving compulsory education. Having been constructed from existing curricular documents, EL is the common set of knowledge to be acquired by all students, meaning the common curriculum denominator and not the total of what can be learned. As such, alongside the exit profile, they make up the benchmark for external evaluation.

Qualifica Centres Quality Charter - The Qualifica Centres Quality Charter acts as a framework for the centres work and for ANQEP's management and regulation of the network. Its main goals are:

• to ensure high-level performance of Qualifica centres regarding adult qualification
• to improve Qualifica centres’ guidance and referrals, as well as the conclusion of adult qualification pathways, via each centre’s follow-up
• to encourage Qualifica centres’ autonomy and responsibility
• to promote self-assessment and continuous improvement

National Strategy for Citizenship Education - Drafted and presented by the Education for Citizenship Working Group (cf. Despatch No 6173/2016, 10 May), ENEC is made up of a set of rights and duties that should be included in citizen training for Portuguese children and young people. This training aims to mould civic conduct that respects equality in interpersonal relationships, the inclusion of difference, respect for human rights, valuing the concepts and values of democratic citizenship within the education system, school autonomy and curricular documents in force.

Education Act – The Education Act establishes the general framework of the education system and can be defined as the normative reference of education policies designed to develop education and the education system. The Education Act was approved on 14 October 1986 and subsequently amended in 1997, 2005 and 2009. The first two amendments were related to higher education access and funding (1997 and 2005) and the last one, in 2009, established compulsory education for children and young people of school age, as well as universal pre-primary education for children from 5 years old.

Organic Law of the XXIII Government - approves the organisation and function of the XXIII Constitutional Government, adopting the appropriate structure to fulfil the priorities of its programme.

Curriculum Guidelines for Pre-primary Education - these are based on global pedagogical aims defined by the Framework Law (Law No. 5/97, 10 February), and are designed for children between 3 years old and the age they begin compulsory schooling. This is considered "the first phase of basic education in lifelong education". The guidelines support the construction and management of the curriculum in kindergarten, which is the responsibility of each pre-primary teacher, in conjunction with the teaching staff of the educational establishment/school cluster.

Exit Profile of Students Leaving Compulsory Education -  approved by Despatch No 6478/2017, 26 July, this is a national reference framework for decision-makers and educational actors at institutional level and those bodies responsible for educational policies. It constitutes a common model for all schools and educational provision in compulsory schooling, specifically at curricular level, planning, implementation and internal and external assessment of teaching and learning.

National Digital Competencies Initiative e.2030 - INCoDe.2030 Programme - approved by Resolution of the Council of Ministers No 26/2018, the "INCoDe.2030 Initiative" represents a strategy for the country’s digital development. This is part of the XXI constitutional government’s National Reform Programme, aligned with the "Industry 4.0 - National Strategy for the Digitalization of the Economy" initiative. Focussed on the horizon of 2030, it aims to position Portugal within the group of top European countries regarding digital skills, as defined by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). This strategy was prepared in 2016 and has been implemented since April 2017 via an experimental period now needing to be formalised, organised and consolidating.

National Programme for the Promotion of School Success - created via the Resolution of the Council of Ministers No. 23/2016, designed to promote quality education for all, combat school failure, all geared toward enhancing equal opportunities and increasing public school efficiency and quality.

Legal regime applicable to the allocation and operation of school social support - Decree-Law No 55/2009, 2 March, applies to children and students attending pre-primary education, basic and upper secondary education in public schools or private and cooperative schools that have signed an association contract. The allocation and operation of school support is governed by principles of equity, positive discrimination and social solidarity, to ensure the right to education and equal opportunities of access and academic success. The aim of school social support is to prevent social exclusion and school dropout, as well as to promote academic and educational success, so everyone, regardless of their social, economic, cultural and family situations, completes compulsory education and have a chance of successfully completing upper secondary education, in one of its various forms.

Legal Framework for Inclusive Education - establishes the principles and rules that ensure inclusion via a process that responds to the diversity of a student’s needs and potential. This is done through increased participation in learning processes and the educational community. It identifies the measures supporting learning and inclusion, the specific curricular areas, as well as the specific resources to be used to meet each child and young person’s educational needs throughout their schooling, across the various education and training provision available.