In June 2021, Portugal’s Ministry of Education launched the 21|23 Escola+ Plan, which aims to support learning recovery and ensure that ‘no student is left behind’. This initiative offers a set of effective educational policy measures and differentiated educational strategies designed to promote school success and combat inequalities through education.

The impact of COVID-19 forced schools to close and instigated a move to distance learning, which led to the need of regaining the (lost) learning opportunities. The pandemic accentuated the lack of resources available, while threatening to undermine the academic achievement of students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Boasting a timeframe of two school years (2021 to 2023) and focussed on recovering student learning in basic and secondary education, this integrated plan addresses three areas: 

1. Teaching and learning.
2. Supporting educational communities.
3. Monitoring and assessment.

The 21|23 Plan is primarily focused on improving the key skills as per stipulated in the profile of students leaving compulsory education along with the essential learning of the different subjects. The Plan’s strategic aims are:

• Recovery of the skills most affected.
• Diversification of teaching strategies.
• Investment in social and emotional well-being.
• Confidence in the educational system.
• Involvement of the whole educational community.
• Capacity building via increased resources and means.
• Monitoring through assessing the impact and efficiency of different measures and resources.

More information:

• https://escolamais.dge.mec.pt/
• https://files.dre.pt/1s/2021/07/13000/0004500068.pdf
• https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-policies/eurydice/content/national-reforms-school-education-53_en

Source: Eurydice Unit Portugal