The document discusses adult education in Portugal. It outlines that adult education has become increasingly popular in Portugal in recent decades, moving from supplemental education to a key part of lifelong learning. It describes the main components of the Portuguese adult education system, including recurrent education courses, certified modular training programs, and processes for validating competencies. It also discusses organizations that oversee adult education policy and programs aimed at improving adult education strategies in Portugal.

1. BY: CYPRIAN NDIVE
ADULT EDUCATION IN PORTUGAL

2. CONTENTS
 Introduction
 What Is Meant In Portugal, When You Talk About Adult Education?
 The Adult Education System In Portugal
 Participation Rate
 Universities
 Providers Of Adult Education
 What Is Typical For Adult Education In The Country?
 Responsible Public Bodies / Ministries
 Relevant Umbrella Associations And National (Service)
Organizations
 Improving Portuguese Adult Education Strategies
 The Target Of Programa Qualifica
 Conclusion
 References

3. INTRODUCTION
The popularity and prevalence of adult education is the most
significant popular educational trend in the history of Portugal. Despite
a few excesses, occasional errors and some structural weaknesses,
this trend must be viewed, overall, as extremely positive, constituting
an excellent starting point for a new approach to lifelong learning. The
role of Portuguese adults in the educational system has undergone
sweeping changes over the past 10 years. Initially consisting of an
approach aimed at simply complementing or supplementing the
ordinary system of regular education, or focused purely on remedial
mechanisms (as was the case with Second Chance Education) - an
approach perceived as of little value socially and possessing little
strength pedagogically

4. WHAT IS MEANT IN PORTUGAL, WHEN YOU
TALK ABOUT ADULT EDUCATION?
Adult education can be defined as the set of learning
processes, formal or otherwise, whereby adults develop
their skills, expand their knowledge and enhance their
technical or professional qualifications or reorient them in
such a way as to satisfy their own needs and those of
society. (UNESCO 2015)

5. THE ADULT EDUCATION SYSTEM IN
PORTUGAL
The Portuguese adult education system is now moving
boldly towards an overall strategy stressing the value of
adult education and related qualifications as a decisive
factor in national development.
Apart from the number of persons enrolled in educational
or vocational training on an ordinary basis, approximately
900,000 Portuguese adults according to official figures
are currently enrolled in adult continuing education
courses aimed at vocational qualifications, approximately
300,000 of whom have already earned a general
certification.

6. PARTICIPATION RATE
According to the “Education and Training Monitor 2014”, in
Portugal the percentage of adults aged between 25 and 64
taking part in lifelong learning activities is 9.7%.

7. UNIVERSITIES
Portuguese universities are gradually increasing their role in adult
education.
They provide different typologies of courses for adults and every
institution is free to provide courses specifically designed for adults
or continue to focus its attention on young people

8. WHAT IS TYPICAL FOR ADULT EDUCATION IN
THE COUNTRY?
The following adult education opportunities are available in Portugal:
 Recurrent Education Courses;
 Certified Modular Training;
 Adult Education and Training Courses;
 Processes for the Recognition, Validation and Certification of
Competences (RVCC) academic and professional level;
 Pathways for the completion of secondary education;
 The Basic Skills Training Programme;
 Qualifications suited to people with disabilities, and
 Continuing Training for people in work as prescribed in the
Labour Code (35h per annum)

9. RESPONSIBLE PUBLIC BODIES / MINISTRIES
The Ministry of Education and Science (MEC) and the Ministry of
Solidarity, Employment and Social Security (MSESS) are responsible for
policy implementation in the field of adult education.
The National Agency for Qualification and Vocational Education and
training (ANQEP) is the body under suprvision of both these ministries,
tasked with coordinating policy implementation in regard to vocational
education and training of young people and adults, and ensuring the
development and manging of the RVCC system.
The Directorate-General for Education (DGE) is responsible for ensuring
the implementation of policies pertaining to the pedagogical and didactic
aspects of pre-school, basic and secondary education and extra-
curricular education, providing technical support in terms of formulation
and overseeing and assessing implementation; coordinating the planning
of the various tests and exams; and designing, organising and executing
measures for risk prevention, safety and control of violence in schools.
The Institute for Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP) is the
national Public Employment Service, and is responsible for promoting
the creation and the quality of jobs, and fighting unemployment by means
of active employment policies, in particular vocational training.

10. RELEVANT UMBRELLA ASSOCIATIONS AND NATIONAL
(SERVICE) ORGANIZATIONS
 Portuguese Association for Culture and Lifelong
Education. (APCEP)
 Association of the Network of Third Age Universities
(RUTIS);
 Portuguese Association for Adult Education and Training
(APEFA);
 Portuguese Association of People management (APG)

11. IMPROVING PORTUGUESE ADULT EDUCATION
STRATEGIES
A highlight for APCEP’s work as well as Portuguese adult education is the
“Qualifica” programme, a joint initiative of the Ministry of Education and the
Ministry of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security that was launched in
March 2017. APCEP welcomes this initiative, while advocating for
improvements of the programme.
It comprises a set of lifelong learning measures that had been implemented
within the “New Opportunities” initiative and were subsequently
discontinued. Among the most important innovations are the validation of
competencies and modular training courses, all of which are recorded in the
“Qualification Passport”, a document that captures the learning efforts
made by citizens.

12. THE TARGET OF PROGRAMA QUALIFICA
One of the targets of the “Qualifica” Programme is to involve
25 percent of adults in lifelong learning activities. APCEP
emphasises the benefits of lifelong learning beyond learning
for the labour market, such as active citizenship and well-
being.
Furthermore, adult education measures should also include
the promotion of basic skills, literacy and numeracy and
digital literacy, with a particular focus on non-formal
methodologies.

13. CONCLUSION
I believe that lifelong and life-wide education continue to be
indispensable for society, especially in the context of
changing work environments, automatisation and
digitalisation,
More than ever, adult learning should contribute to the
personal and professional development of adults through
‘reading’ and understanding the world.”

14. REFERENCES
http://apcep.pt/forum/index.php?action=recent;start=40
http://smi.ine.pt/Conceito/Detalhes?id=3526&lang=PT, 01-09-
2015