2022

2021

Digital Skills Certificate Programme

The legislation concerning a new programme (Digital Skills Certificate) for the acquisition and certification of skills in technologies and digital media awaits publication. This is aligned with the Dynamic Reference Framework for Digital Competence (QDRCD), approved by Dispatch No 1088/2019, 31 January.

To this end, since April 2021, the CNQ has included three new digital proficiency training paths with certification from the QDRCD, namely: basic level (100 h), intermediate level (200 h) and advanced level (150 h).

Digital transition action plan

The Digital Development Action Plan is a tool that aims to guide and facilitate the adaptation and implementation of digital technologies in teaching and learning processes. This is based on the principles defined in the exit profile of students leaving compulsory education and aims to support schools reflect and define strategies that facilitate exploration of digital potential, integrating it within the organisation holistically.

An integral part of this Action Plan, and specifically in the field of education, is an emphasis on teacher training, which will play a decisive role in the transversal integration of technologies and digital tools in professional and pedagogical practice.

“Young + Digital" Programme

Created by Ordinance No 250-A/2020, 23 October, the “Young + Digital" Programme” aims to consolidate the quality, effectiveness and agility of vocational training and qualification, helping young adults acquire digital skills (for more information see Subchapter 8.4. Main Types of Provision 8.4.). In 2020, when updating the National Qualifications Catalogue, digital training needs were identified, among others. To this end, 13 training pathways were designed, which consisted of 25 and/or 50 hours short training courses: productivity and collaboration tools; advanced productivity and collaboration tools; digital commerce - business strategy; digital commerce - operationalisation; cybersecurity; social network management; UI/UX design; Data analysis; business intelligence; programming languages - JAVA programming; programming languages - NET programming; programming languages - Web programming; programming languages - Python programming.

2020

Universalization of digital school

The social section of the Economic and Social Stabilisation Programme, which extends to the end of 2020, considers that the response to the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted a structural need that was already well identified and described: the need to equip schools, teachers and students with digital skills for school work. The universalisation process of digital school is based on four cornerstones: equipment, connectivity, teacher training and digital teaching resources.

As such, during 2020/2021 school year, measures will be implemented to expand this strategy via different phases providing universal access to and use of digital educational and teaching resources by all students and teachers.

A first phase foresees:

• Acquisition of computers, connectivity and software licenses for public schools at infrastructural level, thus making these didactic resources available to their students and teachers, giving priority to the students receiving school social support until universal use is achieved; the first 100,000 computers will be made available in the first term of the academic year, with model types varying according to the education cycle in question and all with access to the internet via mobile broadband.
• A digital training program for teachers.
• Increasing non-paper textbooks and the production of new digital resources.

Thus, the Ministry of Education initiated a number of key initiatives aimed at consolidating the various parts of this programme, including:

• An analysis of teachers’ level of competence, which will enable the programme to focus on their training and qualifications.
• The training of trainers which will enable a large number of teachers to acquire the right skills.
• Digital transition plans for each school cluster.
• The creation of "Digital Ambassadors" at Training Centres (Centros de Formação - CFAE), to facilitate the implementation of local digital transition plans.
• A virtual school textbooks pilot programme.

This measure is geared towards students and teachers, with a budget of €400 million euros, financed by community funds.

Digital transition action plan

Digital transition being one of the essential mechanisms of the country's development strategy according to the XXII Constitutional Government Programme, the Resolution of the Council of Ministers No 30/2020 was published on 21 April, approving the Digital Transition Action Plan.

One of the objectives is for Portugal to be at the forefront of countries that are well prepared for the challenges and changes inherent to a global transition, providing greater equality and inclusion among citizens, bolstering democratic pillars, increasing economic competitiveness and attracting investment, domestic and foreign, as well as the business sector creating added value.

Achieving these goals requires greater investment at digital level, in people and their qualifications, during their academic path and professional career, through a strong investment in training, education and science.

Area I: Training and digital inclusion of people is subdivided into the following areas:

a.1) Sub-area I.1 - Digital education.

a.2) Sub-area I.2 - Vocational training and requalification.

a.3) Sub-area I.3 - Inclusion and digital literacy.

Additionally, both in terms of strategy and implementation deadlines, the abovementioned Resolution approves a series of measures, including:

Measure 1: Digitalisation Programme for Schools.

Measure 2: Intensive and specialised digital training programme for 3,000 professionals – UpSkill.

Measure 3: Digital Inclusion Programme for 1 million adults.

Measure 7: Digital Training Programme for SMEs in the Interior +CO3SO Digital.

Measure 8: Digital Innovation Hubs for Entrepreneurship.

For more information on measures 2, 7 and 8, see section 14.4.

INCoDe.2030

See information in Subchapter 14.3.

National strategy for the integration of Roma communities (2013-2022)

As part of the National Strategy for the Integration of Roma Communities (2013-2022), a survey of the educational situation of Romani candidates was carried out at Qualifica Centres. The following data is worth highlighting:

- There are 1,447 Roma (827 men and 620 women) registered at 163 Qualifica Centres;

- 209 Roma have completed the RVCC process at Qualifica Centres;

- 41 Qualifica Centres have protocols with civil society bodies to boost Romani enrolment.

ANQEP, I.P. is currently working on the Intercultural Mediator Qualification reference framework (level 4 of the QNQ), for inclusion in the National Qualifications Catalogue (CNQ).

In line with Strategic Objective 1 - Improving the effectiveness of National Strategy for the Integration of Roma Communities (ENICC) implementation and consolidating knowledge of Roma and with the respective Specific Objective 1.2. - To improve information and knowledge on the situation of Roma people of the abovementioned Strategy, the "Roma Communities: Inclusion and Educational Success" conference was held at the Ordem de Sant'Iago School Cluster, Setúbal, in December 2019. This conference was co-organised by the Ministry of Education and the High Commission for Migration, I.P. (Alto Comissariado para as Migrações - ACM, I.P.).