Government and legal experts bring anti-corruption lessons to Portuguese classrooms
More than 200 specialists — including the Prime Minister, magistrates, and jurists — are visiting schools across Portugal this week to teach students about ethics, integrity, and preventing corruption. The initiative, called the Dias da Integridade e Anticorrupção, runs through Friday and reaches roughly 40,000 students in public and private schools nationwide.
A national effort to build integrity from the ground up
The Portugal Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation, the Portugal Ministry of Justice, and the Mecanismo Nacional Anticorrupção (MENAC) jointly organized what officials describe as the largest awareness campaign ever held in Portuguese schools on these topics. More than 250 schools are participating, from the mainland to the Regiões Autónomas of the Açores and Madeira.
Alexandre Homem Cristo, the Secretary of State for Education, and José Mouraz Lopes, the president of MENAC, told the Lusa news agency's podcast that the fight against corruption starts with prevention and individual behavior. Homem Cristo said that hearing from figures like the Prime Minister or the director of the Polícia Judiciária carries a different weight for students, even if the core message remains consistent.
Schools as the space where citizenship takes root
Both officials stressed that schools are where children learn the value of ethical behavior and adherence to rules. "The school is the space where citizenship is learned," Homem Cristo stated. Mouraz Lopes added that schools can go further, acting as an engine to develop mechanisms that counter corruption risks.
The MENAC president plans to tell students that Portugal is "not a corrupt country" and that political office stems from civic duty, not shadowy financial interests. "It is the exercise of citizenship, representing the best we want for the country," he said.
From 'cunha' to classroom dynamics: making ethics practical
The program does not shy away from culturally fraught topics. Discussions can begin with what Homem Cristo called the culture of 'cunha', favoritism, or nepotism. Teachers can use simple classroom techniques — like how to run a fair lottery — to show students how natural biases can distort decisions, even when unintentional.
"Teachers try to ensure everyone has the same opportunity, and sometimes there are ways of doing raffles or showing that there are biases that are natural and not ill-intentioned, but that should be avoided in decision-making," Homem Cristo explained.
Mouraz Lopes noted that people make decisions from primary school through the end of life, so a culture of integrity must cut across all levels of education. The MENAC will provide pedagogical materials online to support teachers in continuing these conversations long after the guest speakers leave.
A first step toward a long-term cultural shift
The initiative fits within the Cidadania e Desenvolvimento curriculum, specifically the dimension on Democracy and Political Institutions. It aims to build literacy on transparency and civic values.
This week marks only the beginning, according to organizers. "This is corruption prevention through deepening what integrity and ethics are — something that takes time to build," Mouraz Lopes said. "This principle is fundamental: starting to build a culture for all schools, for all ages that will obviously develop in the coming years."
For parents and students, the message is clear: ethical decision-making is not just for politicians or judges, but a daily practice that shapes how the country functions.
