The 2024 State of Education report by the National Education Council (CNE) warns that “uncertainty” regarding future funding and the lack of specific financial support mechanisms for innovative projects or for municipalities facing greater challenges could hinder local governments’ ability to engage in long-term planning and ensure the quality of educational services.
“Municipalities, often confronted with other priorities and limited budgets, may find it difficult to allocate the necessary resources to address new responsibilities in education, particularly with regard to major investments such as the refurbishment of school buildings,” the report highlights.
The document states that the implementation of education decentralization has represented a “considerable challenge” for Portuguese municipalities, particularly concerning the technical capacity and financial resources needed.
“The complexity of the legislation and the need to coordinate with various stakeholders, such as school group administrations and the central administration, have exposed significant obstacles,” it underscores.
The CNE further emphasizes that the heterogeneous nature of municipal realities, in terms of size, resources, and experience in managing public services, has resulted in varying implementation speeds and specific challenges in each context.
“Larger and more structured municipalities tend to find it easier to implement projects and manage complex processes, while smaller municipalities may face more significant obstacles in allocating qualified human resources and securing adequate funding,” it notes.
The report warns that this asymmetry in response capacity could lead to disparities in the quality of educational services provided locally, countering the goal of greater equity in access to quality education for all.
Another critical issue identified by the CNE is the lack of “smooth and effective coordination” between the Government and municipalities in certain areas: “Despite the coordination mechanisms provided by law, challenges remain in communication, information sharing, and the setting of joint priorities.”
The CNE warns that the absence of a shared strategic vision and consistent dialogue channels can lead to duplicated efforts, mismatches in policy implementation, and difficulties in solving complex problems that require an integrated approach.
The report also highlights the situation of non-teaching staff, whose training “remains unsystematic and incipient,” despite their “extremely relevant” role in schools.
It advocates for the importance of valuing and qualifying these professionals, through the replenishment and stabilization of staff, formal recognition of roles and career paths, and the consolidation of continuous training opportunities tailored to emerging educational needs.
In the current process of transferring competencies to local governments, the allocation of many of these professionals has become the responsibility of municipalities, which, according to the CNE, could represent an opportunity to ensure that staff distribution and training meet the genuine needs of schools.
