The Portuguese Educational Policy to Ensure Equity in Learning in Times of Crises

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the Portuguese government policy pronouncements to face COVID-19 and to examine how the policy measures have been enacted and interpreted by teachers to ensure equity in learning. The study is rooted on a cognitive approach to public policy, and grounds on the notion of theréférentiel. A qualitative and interpretative methodology was used, based on the analysis of official and public documents prepared and made available during the confinement period (March to July 2020) on the Ministry of Education website. Also, interviews were conducted with 15 teachers from various Portuguese schools. Findings show that public authorities quickly responded using informative (e.g., websites to support schools, a TV program, YouTube channels) and communicational (e.g., Facebook, a platform for school principals, email to pose questions) tools. Moreover, the pandemic crisis put equity issues at the center of all concerns and led to the discussion around equity in education to become more pronounced. The differences between distance and in person learning have been made clear while vulnerable students were forced to stay at home, with little or no conditions to learn and without support for studying. We conclude that the general guiding principles behind the policy measures to combat the pandemic at the state and school level were based in a referential that incorporates the constitutional right of ‘school for all’, which is focused on schools’ educational role, while also assigning schools social and economic responsibilities.