“In 2026, we will have 11,000 more beds across the country and 90 new residences compared to 2020 or 2021. It will be a very significant change, not only in quantity but also in quality, with more modern infrastructures suited to the needs of students,” stated the Minister of Education, Science, and Innovation today during the inauguration of the new student residence at ISLA Santarém.
The minister announced that in September, “16 new residences” will be inaugurated and rehabilitation projects are underway in 49, totaling 139 projects in execution.
“There are 139 residences with ongoing works. Most are being completed with great dedication from companies and the entities involved, who recognize the importance of these solutions for students,” he said.
However, the minister cautioned about the limits of construction capacity in the current context, arguing that “there’s no point in starting more projects at the moment, as companies lack capacity and this would only drive up prices.”
In this sense, he urged institutions to “think beyond the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR)” and to prepare plans for the post-2026 period.
Concerning other education levels and today’s announcement about the return of over 90 teachers to schools from Ministry services, the minister reaffirmed that the measure aims to address the shortage of teachers in various subjects, especially in regions facing hiring challenges.
“These 90 teachers will ensure classes for thousands of students,” the minister stated, adding that the number could increase throughout the school year, with more teachers returning to teaching.
Fernando Alexandre explained that many of these teachers were located in Lisbon, and their mobilization aims to respond to the shortage of educators in various schools.
“The priority is to ensure classes,” he emphasized.
According to information released by the government, the teachers in question were on secondment in several departments, including the Directorate-General of School Administration (DGAE), Directorate-General of Education (DGE), Directorate-General of School Establishments (DGEstE), National Agency for Qualification and Vocational Education (ANQEP), Directorate-General for Education and Science Statistics (DGEEC), and the Institute for Financial Management of Education (IGeFE).
The identification of teachers was carried out by matching school needs with teachers on secondment, ensuring no one would be geographically distant from their current workplace.
