Mathematics to be compulsory until Year 12 in Portugal

The Government plans to introduce Mathematics as a compulsory subject across all secondary school courses, including vocational programmes, as part of a reform of Portugal’s education system.

By Kate Sreenarong, in News, Learning · 05 Nov 2026, 17:33 · 0 Comments

Fernando Alexandre, Education Minister, announced the proposal during a parliamentary hearing on the 2027 State Budget (OE2027), outlining plans to introduce a common curriculum covering Years 10 to 12, which could make Mathematics compulsory for every secondary school pupil in Portugal, regardless of their chosen academic or vocational pathway.

Under the proposed changes, students would follow a shared core curriculum before having greater freedom to choose additional subjects based on their interests and future ambitions.

This approach would also extend to vocational education, which currently offers different subject combinations depending on the training programme.

“We will have a common core in which Mathematics will be compulsory from Year 10 to Year 12”, the minister explained. “Afterwards, students will have a flexible pathway, with the opportunity to make choices, including in vocational education.”

This revised curriculum framework, known as the Matriz Curricular, will determine which subjects are taught across different courses and how teaching hours are distributed.

The proposal is expected to go out for public consultation by December 2026, although the changes are not scheduled to take effect until the 2028/2029 academic year.

Basic education

The Government also intends to bring forward plans to merge the first and second cycles of basic education, covering Years 1 to 6, for public consultation before the end of 2026.

A pilot scheme involving selected schools is expected to begin in September 2027 and run throughout the 2027/2028 academic year, aiming to create more continuity across the first six years of education and potentially reduce the disruption pupils experience when moving from the fourth to the fifth year.

Furthermore, the Ministry is preparing a revision of the “Aprendizagens Essenciais” (Essential Learning Requirements), which establish the knowledge and skills pupils are expected to acquire at each stage of their education.

Fernando Alexandre said the revised guidelines would clarify what pupils should learn and the standards they are expected to meet.

According to information presented during the parliamentary hearing, the updated framework is also expected to address areas such as financial and digital literacy, as well as artificial intelligence.