Over 4,776 teachers join Ministry of Education ranks

Portugal's Ministry of Education has announced the final placement lists for teachers for the 2026/27 academic year, involving a total of 19,172 educators. This figure includes teachers moving between schools or districts through an internal competition and new teachers joining the ministry via an external competition.

The external recruitment process, aimed at contracted and professionalized teachers seeking permanent positions, saw 4,776 new teachers integrated into the Ministry of Education's system. This number is lower than the 6,176 teachers who secured positions through the same process last year. Among the new hires, specific quotas were met through mechanisms like the "norma-travão" (brake rule), which allows for the permanent hiring of teachers with successive contracts, and "vinculação dinâmica" (dynamic linking), for those with at least 365 days of service in the last two years.

Additionally, 1,415 professionalized teachers with at least 365 days of teaching experience in public schools over the last six years were integrated. Another 1,655 candidates with professional qualifications but limited or no service time were also placed. Notably, over 5,454 teachers, including 1,806 from the external competition, were assigned to areas facing significant recruitment and retention challenges.

The Ministry emphasized the importance of releasing these lists before the end of the academic year, allowing for greater stability in schools and giving teachers over three months' notice before the start of classes. The primary education group saw the highest number of placements with 3,090 teachers, followed by special education (1,784) and preschool education (1,697), all areas experiencing growing recruitment difficulties. Candidates not placed in this round can still apply for initial hiring starting July 6.

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The disclosure of the lists before the end of the school year is fundamental to ensuring greater stability in schools and allowing teachers to know their professional destination more than three months in advance of the start of classes.