During a press conference in Braga on the sidelines of the 25th-anniversary celebration of the University of Minho’s School of Medicine, Fernando Alexandre highlighted a significant upcoming change in Portugal’s educational landscape. He noted that 60% of the current active teachers in the country are set to retire in the next 15 to 20 years.
“For decades, we will need to train teachers because 60% of our current teachers will retire in the next 15 to 20 years. This represents a rapid shift, requiring a substantial increase in training capacity,” he stated.
He further mentioned that the Government plans to collaborate with universities and polytechnics to open the necessary slots to meet these demands.
“We will need nearly 4,000 annually every year. That’s why we need this training,” he emphasized.
According to Fernando Alexandre, part of the issue could be addressed by encouraging teachers who had left the profession to return.
“Last year, we managed to bring 6,000 new teachers into the profession,” he noted, underscoring it as a sign of success in conveying the importance and appreciation of teachers in the country.
The minister criticized the lack of recognition given to teachers for too long, which led to many leaving the profession for other careers. He stressed that those choosing a career in teaching should be aware of future career expectations, particularly with the new teaching career statute set to come into effect in 2027.
Fernando Alexandre recalled that the previous Government reinstated service time that teachers had long been demanding, which involved an investment of hundreds of millions of euros and signified recognition of the teachers’ critical role.
In addition, he announced that in 2024, 1,700 teachers were permanently hired through an extraordinary recruitment, and that teachers with only provisional qualifications can undertake professional training at the Open University at no cost, enabling them to obtain permanent positions in deficit areas.
The Government will fully fund these courses, allowing teachers to complete their training while teaching, resulting in a permanent position once qualified.
“I hope such measures will inspire new students to pursue teaching, recognizing its importance and impact,” Fernando Alexandre expressed.
