Compulsory mathematics up to 12th year in all courses

O Ministry of Education wants to make Mathematics mandatory by the 12th year, regardless of the course that students choose in secondary education, today Minister Fernando Alexandre announced.

“We will have a common trunk where Mathematics will be mandatory from 10th to 12th year. Then, students will have a flexible route where they will have the possibility to make choices, including in vocational education”, explained the Minister for Education, Science and Innovation.

The measure was announced at the beginning of the joint hearing by the parliamentary committees on Budget, Finance and Public Administration, and on Education and Science, regarding the discussion of the proposed State Budget for 2027 (OE2027).

By the end of 2026, the new curriculum matrix, which defines the disciplines of each course and its workload, should be submitted for public consultation, but will enter into force only 2028/2029.

Also this year, the Ministry of Education will take public consultation on the proposal to merge the first and second cycles, which had already been announced and was part of the Government's programme.

In this case, the new organization of the first six years of schooling will be tested in some schools already in September, in a pilot project that will take place throughout the school year 2027/2028.

“We will also bring to the public consultation, in the second stage, the essential learnings”, the minister added, pointing out that the new guiding documents aim to ‘give greater specification’ of the pupils’ expected knowledge and performance levels.