Education in Portugal

Portugal Education has always been a major concern of the Portuguese society. Education had been introduced in the country even before its independence in the 12th century.

Initially the several cathedral, monastic and parish schools were the only source of education in Portugal. Later on after the establishment of primary and secondary schools the area of education expanded.

University of Coimbra, one of the oldest universities in the world, was established in 1290. Since 1911 Portugal Education has been made compulsory.

Structure of Education System in Portugal

The structure of the education system in Portugal can be classified into the following categories:

• School Education – School education can be classified as:
  • Basic Education
    Basic education provided in schools continues for 8 years and are divided into certain stages. After completion of 3 years course a Certificate or Diploma is awarded.
  • Secondary Education
    The secondary education is given over 3 years. It is provided at all private, public and cooperative schools. The courses are available in two types: general and technical or vocational education.
• Higher Education – the higher education can be classified as:
  • University Education
  • Polytechnic Education

Subjects of Portugal Education

The subjects that are provided in school education and higher education include subjects like English, History, Geography, Philosophy, Sciences, Art and Mathematics. There are several universities and institutes that specialize in Psychology, Management, Anthropology, Economics and all.

Universities of Coimbra, Lisbon, Porto, Evora, Algarve and Aveiro are some of the top universities in the country.