Summary:
85,000 students at risk of starting school year without teachers
1,423 complete schedules still unfilled across multiple regions
1,480 incomplete schedules highlight the staffing crisis
Criticism directed at previous government for poor vacancy management
High number of 19,382 candidates left unplaced raises alarms
Government's Alarming Announcement
The Government has raised concerns about the lack of teachers available for the upcoming school year, stating that there are thousands of students without teachers. This follows the placement of 16,000 teachers during the internal mobility contest and 2,000 in initial hiring last Friday.
Unfilled Positions
According to the latest report from the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation (MECI), there are still 1,423 complete schedules that need to be filled. These vacancies are spread across various regions:
- 427 in the Greater Lisbon area
- 177 in Setúbal
- 67 in Alentejo
- 110 in Algarve
These unfilled positions could potentially mean 85,000 students will miss out on classes for certain subjects. The MECI warns that this situation may worsen due to medical leaves and mobility issues related to health and statutory reasons.
Incomplete Schedules
Additionally, there are 1,480 incomplete schedules that remain unfilled, with the following distribution:
- 462 in Lisbon
- 207 in Setúbal
- 78 in Alentejo
- 122 in Algarve
Moreover, 1,611 teachers are left without assigned classes (zero schedules), with 75% located in schools in the Northern region. This indicates a disparity where some schools have students without teachers while others have teachers without assigned classes.
Criticism of Previous Government
The current Government has criticized the previous administration led by António Costa for opening 27,930 vacancies—far exceeding the 8,493 vacancies requested by school directors. They highlighted that the criteria for additional vacancies were poorly justified, leading to an imbalance with the concentration of zero schedules in the North and a high number of unfilled positions in Lisbon, Alentejo, and Algarve.
High Number of Unplaced Candidates
Finally, the Government expressed disappointment that out of 21,803 candidates for the initial hiring contest, 19,382 did not receive placements. This situation poses a significant risk to thousands of students starting the school year without teachers, further illustrating the geographical misalignment of job vacancies.
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