Portugal Says Science Teachers Covered, Unions Warn Class Gaps Remain

Education Ministry Says Physics and Chemistry Classes Are Fully Staffed

Portugal’s Ministry of Education insists that secondary schools have the required number of Physics and Chemistry teachers for the current academic year, countering recent claims from several teacher unions about widespread shortages.

What the Ministry Is Saying

In a written statement released over the weekend, the ministry notes that all vacancies in Physics and Chemistry were filled during the two national placement rounds that ended in September. According to the ministry, a total of 1,047 positions were advertised for the subject this year—368 permanent posts and 679 fixed-term contracts. “Every candidate who met the legal criteria was placed, and the remaining openings were covered through extra-hour arrangements,” the document stresses.

The ministry adds that after these placement rounds, schools reported fewer than 15 unfilled hours nationwide—a gap it says was quickly addressed by reallocating teachers with partial timetables. Officials argue that the current situation is not unusual compared with previous years and that there are no indications pupils will miss out on the compulsory curriculum.

The Unions Disagree

Two of the sector’s largest federations, FENPROF and the National Federation of Teachers (FNE), dispute the ministry’s numbers. FENPROF’s secretary-general, Mário Nogueira, claims that at least 60 schools, mainly in the Lisbon metropolitan area and the Algarve, still lacked a qualified Physics and Chemistry teacher as of mid-October. “Schools are relying on overtime and substitute arrangements that are far from ideal,” he told reporters.

FNE has called for an extraordinary recruitment round before Christmas, saying that the national placement procedure only looks adequate on paper. “We often see teachers assigned to positions well outside their home regions,” notes FNE spokesperson Joana Pires, who argues that high living costs in large cities prompt many freshly placed educators to turn down posts at the last minute.

How Teacher Assignment Works

National Placement Rounds – Conducted in July and September, these competitions assign permanent and annual contracts.

School-Level Hiring – If a job still isn’t filled, individual schools can hire from regional lists on a fixed-term basis.

Extra Hours & Reallocation – Schools may ask existing staff to teach additional hours or split a teacher between campuses.

The Directorate-General for School Administration (DGAE) confirms that 93 percent of Physics and Chemistry vacancies were filled during the national rounds, while the rest were covered through local hiring or overtime. DGAE’s latest report, published in mid-October, notes that the average class has 26 students, with no evidence of cancelled laboratory sessions.

Broader Context: Teacher Demographics

• Ageing Workforce – Roughly 43 percent of Physics and Chemistry teachers are over 55, which raises concerns about retirements in the next five to seven years.• Training Pipeline – Public universities graduated 172 new Physics and Chemistry teachers in 2024, but only 101 completed the mandatory practicum, suggesting future shortages could emerge if demand rises.• Regional Imbalances – Urban coastal districts attract most candidates; inland regions sometimes post the same vacancy multiple times before finding a replacement.

What Happens Next?

The ministry says it will meet union representatives later this month to review the latest staffing data. It has also signalled that a mid-year hiring round could take place “if exceptional circumstances arise.” Meanwhile, parent associations are urging both sides to publish real-time information so families can see whether classes are being taught by qualified staff.

The conversation highlights a familiar tension in Portugal’s education sector: official data shows full coverage, but anecdotal evidence suggests individual schools continue to struggle—especially when a sudden resignation, sick leave, or maternity leave emerges. Whether that gap is a short-term logistical hiccup or the sign of a deeper structural shortage remains the central question for the months ahead.