Adult Education in Portugal

Portugal

Capital: Lisbon

Population: Around 10.3 million inhabitants (estimate for 2024)

Official Language: Portuguese

Country Area: Approximately 92,212 km²

GDP: Around 200 billion euros (estimate for 2024)

Type of Democracy: Semi-presidential democratic republic

Date of entry into the European Union: January 1, 1986

Currency: Euro (EUR)

Main reason for investing in Adult Education

Portugal has invested in adult education as part of its strategy to promote social inclusion, combat functional illiteracy and promote the personal and professional development of citizens. This is especially important in an increasingly globalized and technological world, where skills and knowledge are essential for personal and economic success.

Adult Education Programs

Portugal has a variety of adult education programs, which include basic education for adults, education for young people and adults who have not completed school, vocational training for adults, literacy courses and continuing education programs. These programs are offered by public and private educational institutions, as well as civil society organizations.

Basic Law of the Educational System Law No. 46/86

The educational system is defined as being a set of methodologies, from which the right to education is realized, which is manifested through constant training action to enable the universal development of the personality, social progress and the democratization of the community.

In this way, the educational system is governed in an organized and structured manner through varied actions, by decision and initiative in light of the commitment and responsibility of different organizations and public, representative and supportive entities.

Therefore, it presents in the geographical context, the integrity of the Portuguese territory, that is, Mainland Portugal and Autonomous Regions. However, it must be adjustable and diversified to encompass all countries and places in which Portuguese communities live or where there is an evident interest in the evolution and dissemination of Portuguese culture. Furthermore, the political coordination of the educational system, despite the bodies that constitute it, is the responsibility of only a ministry particularly dedicated to this purpose.

Article 23 - Recurrent Adult Education

"1 - For individuals of legal age. Recurrent education is organized outside the standard age range for primary and secondary education.

2 - This education is also aimed at individuals who did not have the opportunity to fit into the school education system at the standard training age, paying particular attention to the elimination of illiteracy.

3 - Individuals have access to this type of education: a) At basic education level, from the age of 15: b) At the secondary education level, from the age of 18.

4 - This education awards the same diplomas and certificates as those awarded by regular education, with the forms of access and study plans and methods organized differently, taking into account the age groups for which they are intended, life experience in the meantime acquired and the level of knowledge demonstrated.

5 - The professional training referred to in the previous article can also be organized on a recurring basis."

Formal and Non-Formal Learning

Formal Learning:

Public funding is fully available up to secondary level, if adults choose to continue their studies up to higher education, they must pay their university fees, in the same way, younger students are also entitled to some aid. , such as scholarships. Note that the fees do not correspond to the entire cost/student, so we can assume that it is financed by the government.

Non-Formal Learning:

Provided by Employer Entities in compliance with the Labor Code or co-financed by public services and state departments through the European Social Fund, namely by Community Frameworks, we are currently closing Portugal 2020. Also according to statistics from this last community framework, the Portugal 2020 Website , states that in the field of human capital "At the end of December, more than 34 thousand young people and adults were supported in post-secondary courses, with emphasis on PO Norte with 13 thousand, followed by PO Centro with 9 thousand and PO CH with more than 6.5 thousand young people and adults supported. With regard to young people supported in vocational pathways (basic and secondary), around 366 thousand young people benefited, the majority of which were supported by PO CH (more than 346 thousand), following PO Açores (9.3 thousand)."

General Aspects of the Adult Education and Training System: National Qualification System

According to DGERT, "The SNQ (Decree-Law, nº 396/2007, of December 31st, amended by Decree-Law nº 14/2017, of January 26th), is the integrated set of structures, instruments and teaching modalities and professional training which, in conjunction with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), aims to promote the increase in the population's basic training through educational and professional progression."

When we analyze the National Qualification System, we see an entire structure that promotes the educational and professional modernization of citizens, through double certification training or RVCC (Recognition, Validation and Certification of Professional Skills). This typology responded to the needs of an adult population with low qualifications, placing Portugal in one of the EU countries with the lowest qualification rates. One of the objectives of the SNQ is to reach the maximum number of adults with secondary education, possible through funding from the 2014-2020 Strategic Reference Framework (QREN).

In recent years, Portugal has worked to ensure that the population obtains better qualification results, as it had low qualifications compared to the adult population. Despite all this work, Portugal is one of the most developed countries that continues to have lower adult qualifications, thus delaying the development of the global economy.

The National Qualification System [SNQ] was created, and one of the priorities and goals to be achieved is that the population should have at least secondary education, also carrying out the necessary methods for this to happen, together with the appropriate financial means, in particular, the Strategic Reference Framework 2014-2020.

Reinforcing the idea that any individual can improve their qualifications, for example, for unemployed adults who for some specific reason have left school and for adults who are in the job market who still want to improve their educational qualifications by granting, thus, a better job opportunity.

Objective and the Five Strategies defined by the SNQ

Goal:

Overcome the rate of low qualifications, since its priority would be to establish secondary education as the minimum level of education.

Five of the strategies to increase the qualifications of individuals are:

Guide adults so that they can recover the country's economy with active adults, providing the "return of adults to basic qualifications" by creating alternatives for them to practice learning activities throughout their lives so that society can change;
Increase the capacity of adults in dual certification courses in several different areas, according to certification methods, taking into account capacity validation and certification processes and also the review of financing and organization of education and training systems;
Guide adults so that they can recover the country's economy with active adults, providing the "return of adults to basic qualifications" by creating alternatives for them to practice learning activities throughout their lives so that society can change;
Promote the evolution of the schooling rate to reach the standard of the European continent;
Encourage the Portuguese by raising awareness and arousing the interest of individuals in educational qualifications, contributing to participation in educational training proposals in both the private and public sectors;

Purposes of the Qualifica Program

During 2016, the Qualifica Program was launched, which put an end to qualification centers and professional education, with the intention of improving the qualification levels of the general population and their employability. This program includes educational training responses and tools to make it easier to promote the qualifications of adults, with help from the broad network of operators.

According to data extracted from the Qualifica program website, with regard to adult education, it states that "Despite the progress made in recent years, the Portuguese population continues to present a qualification deficit that affects the country's development. In the context of the European Union , Portugal continues to have the highest proportion of adults, between 25 and 64 years old, who did not complete secondary education (in 2020, PT 44.6% and EU27 20.8%, these values being higher in some territories of the country ), along with a relevant proportion of young people (18.3%), between 20 and 24 years old, who enter the job market without completing this level of education. In addition, there is high levels of illiteracy among a relevant part of this population. , particularly in basic skills."

The Qualifica Program has several purposes:

The attempt to adapt these offers at both a national and regional level;

The correction of the country's structural delay in relation to the schooling of individuals in relation to the rest of Europe;

Promoting greater educational investment towards adults;

The reduction of literal and functional illiteracy;

Increased schooling and better jobs for active citizens, giving them the opportunity to gain better skills adjusted to their work needs.

EFA Courses

The development of adult schooling occurs through Adult Education and Training Courses (EFA Courses), as well as through the network of Centers for Recognition, Validation and Certification of Skills, better known as Centers for New Opportunities (CNO), or that is, Qualifica Centers. EFA Courses are based on an Education and Training proposal for Adults who intend to advance their skills and qualifications.

EFA Professional courses are aimed at adults who already have basic or secondary education and wish to acquire a double certification;
EFA Dual Certification courses enable adults to obtain a school qualification and professional certification;
EFA's courses make it possible to complete the 1st, 2nd and 3rd cycles of basic education and complete secondary education;

It is worth noting that EFA courses take place in public education institutions and private or cooperative education institutions, Professional Training Centers of the Institute of Employment and Professional Training (IEFP) and in other accredited training entities.

National Literacy and Basic Adult Education Plan

The National Literacy and Basic Adult Education Plan determined the following objectives for Adult Education:

Ensure the improvement of the didactic quality of literacy and basic education interventions for adults;

Certify the conditions of all adults who acquired access to literacy and compulsory education levels;

Guarantee, definitively, the satisfaction of the basic needs of formal and informal adult education, through the gradual application throughout the country of a complete system that guarantees the movement and participation of communities, control of the use of all means educational and create a definitive education system;

The cultural and educational evolution of society, as well as its particular recognition and collaboration in cultural, social and political life.

Education Indicators

Adult literacy rate;

Completion rate of basic and secondary education by adults;

Participation in adult education programs;

Educational level of the adult population;

Public investment in adult education;

Access to lifelong learning opportunities.