Delivering Quality Services to All in Alentejo
Preparing Regions for Demographic Change
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This publication is part of the OECD workstream on Preparing Regions for Demographic Change. It elaborates a case study for the Portuguese region of Alentejo and focuses on improving the delivery of educational services taking into account the multi-level governance context. The study highlights the need to better articulate and co-ordinate the delivery of educational services among levels of government to improve access and quality. It also sheds light on the decisive role that geography plays and the importance of adopting a spatial lens to mitigate the rising inequality present in Portugal in access to education services. Alentejo is a rural region that expects to lose 30% of its population between 2020 and 2080, hence it needs to put in place forward-looking and effective policy levers to delivery sustainable education services to citizens living in rural communities.
Executive summary
Alentejo, a sparsely-populated region in mid-south Portugal, has among the fastest decline in population and highest ageing rate across large OECD regions. This is expected to continue in the coming decades, putting pressure on local finances, which are already under severe strain because of the pandemic. The costs needed to provide good quality services in places with smaller and more dispersed populations are higher due to their smaller economies of scale and scope, higher transportation costs, and greater difficulties in attracting service professionals. Exacerbating this are important gaps in Alentejo’s broadband infrastructure and digital skills, especially in its rural areas, creating bottlenecks for public authorities looking to deliver some public services digitally. Alentejo is not alone, many other OECD regions face similar challenges, and, like Alentejo, they will need to develop forward looking policy responses that can embrace the opportunities provided by digitalisation, as well as other innovative solutions, including through better coordination across levels of administration that can help overcome policy silos. Focusing on education, this study provides valuable lessons for regions and all levels of government experiencing decentralisation and facing demographic challenges.
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