2024
Specialised Technology Centres (CTE)
Created to improve vocational education and speed up the implementation of the funds from the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) for the specialised technology centres (CTE) in schools, the ministers for education, science and innovation and territorial cohesion began a series of meetings with school boards and municipalities to implement the specialised technology centres.
The investment aims to re-equip and consolidate the technological infrastructure of schools offering vocational education, as well as updating the training provision, so it aligns with the economy’s changing needs. The project will boost students' interest in upper secondary level dual certification training in sectors that require highly qualified labour and increase the number of young graduates in new areas.
As part of the RRP, a final target of 365 ETCs by December 2025 has been set, with an intermediate target of 310 ETCs by March.
For more information, visit the specialised technological centres website.
2023
Basic level specialised artistic course in drama
Despatch No 7736/2023, 26 July 2023 approved the Essential Learning document of the specialised artistic training subjects of the basic drama course, taking as a reference the basic curriculum model contained in Annexes IV and V to Decree-Law No 55/2018, 6 July.
Based on the Essential Learning documents for educational and training provision, including basic level specialised artistic courses, work began on constructing the Essential Learning (by cycle) for the subjects on the basic drama course, such as: acting (2nd and 3rd cycles) improvisation (movement) 2nd and 3rd cycles, voice (2nd and 3rd cycles) and theatre production techniques (3rd cycle).
These new Essential Learning documents for specialised artistic training subjects (basic drama course) will take effect next academic year, 2023-2024, and can be consulted in the "Documents" area, under "Essential Learning".
In terms of general education subjects, adhering to the same logic as the other specialised artistic courses, the basic drama course is subject to the Essential Learning documents of the subject areas and common subjects of the basic curriculum model of general basic education.
Specialised Technology Centres (CTE)
The creation of 365 Specialised Technology Centres by 2025 represents a 480-million-euro investment funded by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), which aims to modernise education and vocational training provision. This is done via the acquisition of technological educational resources (equipment), as well as the modernisation and renovation of the facilities and infrastructure of public schools and colleges offering vocational courses and vocational schools, public or private.
After setting up the first 104 centres, there was a second submission phase between 31 March and 23 June 2023.
For more information, visit the Specialised Technology Centres website.
National Qualifications Catalogue - short and medium-length courses in the digital area
Creating short and medium-length courses in the digital area has had a very positive impact on young people and adults seeking to improve their skills. Courses on programming, digital marketing, data analysis and no-code visual programming, created in 2021 as part of the "Young + digital" programme, have over 15,000 enrolments and 11,000 certificates.
Also in the digital field, but more geared towards adults with low digital literacy, the pathways created via the "Digital Skills Certificate" programme are attracting many adults. Since their creation in 2021, over 24,000 people have enrolled on these courses, and more than 17,000 have been certified.
ANQEP’s training provision not only helps meet the growing demand for professionals with digital skills from the business community, but also gives workers the opportunity to acquire new skills.
Financial support for vocational education
In August, following demands from schools teaching vocational courses, the Council of Ministers approved a draft resolution making financial support possible for private vocational schools in the the Algarve and Greater Lisbon Area.
Expenditure for the new training cycle is €59,224,354.98, which constitutes an increase of around 8%, boosting the potential number of students attending these courses.
Read here for more information.
Students’ external assessment: new rules for completing upper secondary education
Following the reflection and public discussion held on this subject a few months ago, Decree-Law No 62/2023, 25 July, approves the new rules for completing upper secondary school and access to higher education. This involves the new regime of student assessment, which establishes a new examinations model in upper secondary education. The list of compulsory final exams has changed, with all students taking three national exams, thus consolidating the core nature of internal and continuous assessment. The Portuguese language exam remains compulsory for all, with each student being obliged to take two other exams of their choice, according to their individual learning path and further studies.
The same decree-law alters the legal framework for inclusive education, extending the special conditions of assessment tests all students with any specific language disorder, which was previously applied only to students with dyslexia.
These changes will only come into force for students enrolled the 12th year for the 2024/2025 school year.
For more information, see the Government website.
New 23|24 Escola+ Plan
Having considered the monitoring and evaluation results of the 21|23 School+ Plan, as well as the knowledge, experience and lessons learned from its implementation, the 23|24 School+ Plan (approved by Resolution of the Council of Ministers No. 80-B/2023, 18 July 2023) provides schools with a set of specific measures for the 2023/2024 school year. This involves the construction and implementation of schools’ own learning recovery plans, which aim to counter the learning deficits that remain due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 23|24 School+ Plan is divided into the following areas:
a) Area 1 - Reading and writing.
b) Area 2 - Curricular autonomy.
c) Area 3 - Educational resources.
d) Area 4 - Family.
e) Area 5 - Assessment and diagnosis.
f) Area 6 - Inclusion and well-being.
g) Area 7 - Supporting educational communities.
These areas take the form of measures applied to education and training provision in basic and upper secondary education, including vocational schools, both public and private.
The abovementioned resolution also extends the mandate of the Mission Group for Promoting School Success (created by the Resolution of the Council of Ministers 23/2016, 11 April) for another two school years. This group is responsible for monitoring the plan, in tandem with representatives from all the Ministry of Education departments.
"Border schools project" memorandum
On 15 March 2023, in Lanzarote, Portugal and Spain signed the "Border Schools Project" Memorandum, boosting bilateral cooperation between the two countries. The initiative, which targets young people, reflects values like exercising full citizenship, solidarity through cultural diversity and democratic debate, among others.
During the bilateral meeting, it was also agreed to collaborate in the field of vocational training, creating a joint technical committee to work on vocational certification and student internship exchanges, strengthening the internationalisation of vocational training in both countries. A commitment was also made to promote civic and democratic values in Europe, especially with regard to gender equality of girls' access to training areas in STEAM - science, technology, engineering, arts/humanities and mathematics.
For more information about the Bilingual and Intercultural Schools Project "Border Schools" visit the DGE website.
Additional information about this project can be found in subchapter 14.2. National reforms in school education.
Green skills and jobs programme
Green Jobs & Skills is a vocational training programme in the field of energy (Ordinance No. 21/2023, 6 January). Its strategic aim is to provide vocational training and retraining for workers at companies and other employers directly or indirectly affected by the increase in energy costs. In doing so, it seeks to reduce the risk of unemployment, promote job retention and creation, accelerating transition and energy efficiency.
The Agência para a Energia (ADENE) and Associação Portuguesa de Energias Renováveis (APREN), in conjunction with the Agência Nacional para a Qualificação e o Ensino Profissional (ANQEP I. P.), are responsible for identifying the respective skills and training needs. Using their technical expertise and capacity to mobilise the sector's different bodies, they develop and update short and medium-length training pathways to be integrated in the National Qualifications Catalogue (CNQ), as part of energy transition and efficiency during the programme’s life.
ANQEP recently included four new training pathways in the areas of environment and energy in the National Qualifications Catalogue (CNQ), responding, as such, to the need for new green skills.
New training pathways in the areas of environment and energy
ANQEP recently included four new short and medium-length courses in the National Qualifications Catalogue, responding to specific skills in the area of environment and energy (new green skills). These pathways consist of a set of short training units lasting a maximum of 375 hours:
- Green hydrogen – fundamentals and technologies (300 hours)
- Renewable energies – solar thermal (325 hours)
- Renewable energies – solar photovoltaic (375 hours)
- Renewable energies – wind (375 hours)
The green hydrogen fundamentals and technologies training pathway was developed in partnership with ADENE – Agência para a Energia (Energy Agency), the Direção-Geral de Energia e Geologia (Directorate-General for Energy and Geology) and the Instituto de Emprego e Formação Profissional, I.P. (Institute for Employment and Vocational Training).
Contributions were also made by the Conselho Setorial da Energia (Sector Council for Energy), namely the Agência Portuguesa do Ambiente - APA (Portuguese Environment Agency) and the Instituto de Soldadura e Qualidade - ISQ.
These four courses can be completed through certified modular training, enabling autonomous certification.
2022
Valorizar Social Programme
As part of the «Valorizar Social» Programme, five short and medium duration courses were designed to respond to new demands in the areas of management and finance, leadership and innovation, consisting of a set of short-term training units lasting 25 and/or 50 hours, with a maximum duration of 350 hours.
For more detailed information, see Subchapter 14.5 National reforms related to transversal skills and employability.
Basic level specialised artistic course in drama
Ordinance 65/2022, 1 February created the basic level specialised artistic course in drama for 2nd and 3rd cycles of basic education, thus consolidating artistic training that already covered music and dance.
Specialised Technology Courses
Decree-Law No 39/2022, 31 May alters the regime of Specialised Technology Courses, which are primarily focussed on vocational reskilling and retraining, boosting professional competences and the consolidation of initial training pathways, professional qualification and specialised technical competences, while encouraging further studies.
Following this Decree-Law No 39/2022, Ordinance No 206/2022, 19 August defines the operational conditions for specialised technology courses, as well as the template and conditions for issuing the respective certificates and diploma.
Specialised Technology Centres (CTE)
On 17 June 2022, the Tender for Specialised Technology Centres was announced. This was part of the Qualifications and Skills Component of the “Recovery, Resilience and Investment Plan: Modernisation in education and vocational training establishments.”
The tender aims to establish and modernise 365 Specialised Technology Centres in public education establishments offering vocational courses and in public or private vocational schools (115 industrial centres, 30 renewable energy centres, 195 computer centres and 25 digital and multimedia centres). This investment involves modernising and refurbishing existing premises and infrastructures, as well as acquiring technological educational resources (equipment).
Quality assurance systems aligned with the EQAVET framework
The pool of external experts, created via protocols established between ANQEP and 35 higher education institutions, was expanded to 173 individuals. This was done to respond to EQAVET verification requests submitted by the operators whose alignment processes involved support from the POCH programme (vocational schools, upper secondary schools and public schools offering vocational courses or own-school curriculum courses).
The EQAVET conformity verification processes undertaken by external experts have enabled ANQEP to award 442 EQAVET labels so far.