A survey conducted by the National Federation of Teachers (Fenprof) among school directors revealed that 27.1% of classes with students having special educational needs (SEN) exceeded the legally allowed number of students.
This marks an increase from the previous year’s findings, with 23% of classes reportedly formed illegally in 2024, according to Fenprof data released today on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
Out of 9,252 classes considered in the survey, nearly half included students with SEN and should legally have fewer than 20 students, with no more than two SEN students per class.
However, more than one in four of these classes (27.1%) were formed illegally.
“We are aware of classes with four, five, or six SEN students,” stated Ana Simões, national coordinator for Special Education at Fenprof, during the press conference presenting the results.
The survey indicates that 12.4% of schools had more than 20 students in a class, 8% had more than two SEN students, and 6.7% had more than 20 students and more than two SEN students, based on responses from directors of 147 schools and clusters nationwide.
“We know there are more students in schools, more students with special educational needs, and no room to divide classes further. But this cannot happen, because it’s illegal,” argued Ana Simões.
José Sá Marques from the National Confederation of Organizations for People with Disabilities emphasized, “It’s imperative to reduce the number of students per class to ensure proper attention for students.”
The issue is not limited to teachers alone. School directors have highlighted a persistent shortage of various human resources.
“The situation continues to worsen: there is a lack of teachers, operational assistants, specialized technicians, and physical space to split classes,” summarized Ana Simões.
In the survey, 74.3% of schools and clusters reported insufficient special education teachers, compared to 64% the previous year.
While directors have attempted to recruit new teachers, most efforts proved unsuccessful. Nearly three out of four schools (71.6%) were unable to hire any teachers, leaving positions vacant, especially in support of cognitive and motor domains.
A majority of directors (77%) also reported a shortage of operational assistants. Within the surveyed schools and clusters, an additional 557 operational assistants are needed.
“In a school with a thousand students, each assistant must oversee at least a hundred students. This situation is unsustainable for both assistants and students,” argued José Sá Marques, cautioning that the lack of staff contributes to instances where “children become victims of bullying.”
The shortage of resources has been criticized by Fenprof since the implementation of the current legal framework in 2018, and seven years later, the union states the problem persists.
“We challenge this government of Montenegro and Minister Fernando Alexandre to make choices: Do they intend to respect students with SEN and their families, as well as teachers and others, to make inclusion a reality, or do they wish to perpetuate segregation?” queried Ana Simões.
[News updated at 13:59]
