Review of Inclusive Education in Portugal
The Review of Inclusive Education in Portugal provides, from an international perspective, an independent analysis of major issues regarding diversity, equity and inclusion in education in Portugal, current policy initiatives, and possible future approaches. The report serves three purposes: i) to provide insights and advice to Portuguese education authorities; ii) to help other countries understand the Portuguese approach to inclusive education; and iii) to provide input for comparative analyses of the OECD Strength through Diversity project. The scope for the analysis in this report covers primary (including 1st and 2nd cycle of basic education) and secondary education (including 3rd cycle of basic education and upper secondary). The analysis in the report focuses on the following areas: i) governance and financing of inclusive education; ii) capacity building; iii) school-level interventions and iv) monitoring and evaluation. This report will be of interest in Portugal and other countries looking to improve the equity and inclusion in their education systems.
Developing capacity for diversity, equity and inclusion
This chapter examines the policy area of developing capacity for promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in education in Portugal. Three broad aspects are analysed: building awareness of diversity in education; initial teacher preparation and continuous professional learning; and recruitment, retention and evaluation of teachers. Recently, Portugal has implemented progressive measures aimed at addressing diversity among students and providing support for teachers and broader personnel to develop and improve their professional practice through initiatives such as the National Strategy for Citizenship Education (ENEC), the National Strategy for Equality and Non-Discrimination (ENIND), the National Roma Communities Integration Strategy (ENICC), and Teacher Training Centres affiliated to school clusters that provide tailored professional learning. However, important challenges remain, including inadequate continuous professional learning for diversity, equity and inclusion and a narrow view of diversity largely focused on students with special education needs (SEN). This chapter makes several policy recommendations to address these challenges.
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