FINANCING

Portuguese public education finances are supported by the state budget, mainly by the Ministry of Education. However, there is also state funding allocated by the Ministry of Interior – via State Department for Local Administration – to Local  Government, which concern the building and maintenance of kindergarten, pre-school and primary schools, equipment and materials for common use.

There are other sources of financing such as programmes co-financed by European Union, dealing with the improvement of educational infrastructures, new technologies and professional training.

State education also includes Education/Training courses applied to youngs and adults in the period of transition for active life, jointly financed by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs – via State Department for Employment and Professional Training.

In private sectors of education there are funds supplied by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, State Department for Social Security, through the Regional Centres of Social Security which fully or partially support the education cost of families with poor economic resources.

The Ministry of Education finances special education in Portuguese mainstream education institutions at the different education levels in an indirect way, paying the salaries of special education teachers and other professionals (psychologists, therapists, sign language trainers and interpreters), providing specific materials, paying for nutritional supplements, transport, specific equipment and professional aid.

In private mainstream schools, state grants for special education are restricted to kindergarten and pre-school, with special education teachers and other professionals (therapists) working there but being paid by the Ministry of Education with which they have a commitment. At the other education levels, special education cost is supported by families and, in the case of families with poor economic resources, by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, State Department for Social Security, through the Regional Centres of Social Security that fully or partially cover those financial commitments.

As far as special education institutions are concerned there are the public and the private ones.

The Ministry of Education pays a financial support, per student, for teachers and other professionals’ salaries, for food, transport and school material, in public institutions, according to current legislation. The private institutions may agree a contract in co-operation with the Ministry of Education based upon legal requirements in order to benefit from some sort of state grant, per student’ concerning food and transport.