The Budget for 2026, with regard to the Ministry of Education, reaches an allocation of 7543.1 million euros, which translates, according to the document released this Thursday (9 October), an increase in revenue of 4.4% (317.3 million euros) and 4.5% (324.5 million euros) in expenditure, compared to the estimated execution until the end of 2025.
The ministry led by Fernando Alexandre states that its objective is to “enable access to quality education throughout the national territory”.
The various points highlighted in the document highlight the reform of the social action system already foreseen in the Higher Education program for the 2025/26 academic year – with the aim of “guaranteeing students’ access to higher education, regardless of their socioeconomic origin -, the reorganization of services, the qualification of Portuguese people and the reinforcement of investment in science and innovation.
It also aims to “guarantee good coordination between local authorities, schools and the ministry’s central services”.
A “redistribution of responsibilities that gives greater autonomy to municipalities and school groups” is also advocated.
As a goal for next year, the Ministry of Education guarantees that it intends to “deepen inclusion in education, with educational, linguistic, sporting and cultural integration of students, as well as modernizing dual certification educational offers, improving the quality of professional education and valuing its role in the social and economic development of the regions”.
Reinforcing places for pre-school education is another objective.
Regarding the budgetary issue, according to data released this Thursday, personnel expenses represent 82.3% (an allocation of 6209.1 million euros), with an increase of 207.4 million euros for 2026in relation to the current year, which, guarantees the ministry, will be allocated “to finance the development of careers, the recovery of teachers’ service time and the hiring of teaching staff”.