The Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation (MECI) presented a proposal to reform the social action system in higher education, which aims to ensure that all students are able to attend and complete a course, regardless of their economic situation, according to a statement sent to newsrooms.
The proposal this Wednesday, December 3rd, known by the Council of Rectors of Portuguese Universities (CRUP), the Coordinating Council of Polytechnic Institutes (CCISP), the Portuguese Association of Private Higher Education (APESP) and the Academic Associations and Federations, has as its starting point the diagnosis carried out by Nova SBE, and provides that support be guaranteed adjusted to the costs of living in the municipality where they study, differentiating between displaced and not displaced.
It is also included in the proposal that students from households with income below the poverty threshold will receive the maximum scholarship.
The value of the scholarship to be awarded will result from the difference between the real cost of studying in the municipality and the income that the family can provide to the student to attend higher education. “If the difference is positive, the student receives a grant. This method guarantees full progressivity and automatically adjusts the eligibility threshold to the expenses calculated in each municipality”, explains the ministry.
The reform also includes the creation of an Incentive Scholarship, aimed at students benefiting from step 1 of the family allowance, with a value of 1045 euros per year, which will be automatically awarded upon enrollment in the first year of Higher Education. “This extra support aims to mitigate initial entry costs and reduce the uncertainty faced by the most vulnerable students, promoting a more stable and secure transition to Higher Education”, the note reads.
These proposals come after the study carried out by Nova SBE identified structural limitations in the regime currently in force and demonstrated the impact of scholarships on reducing school dropout rates.
“The study shows that the current system is not very progressive and does not adequately cover students’ expenses. Last academic year, 84,215 social action scholarships were awarded (20% of the universe of students in courses for which social action scholarships are awarded – TeSP, Bachelor’s Degrees, Integrated Master’s Degrees and Master’s Degrees). More than 70% of these scholarship recipients received the minimum scholarship, which is awarded to all students with a per capita income between 11 and the 23 IAS (€5,748 and €12,018) and which corresponds to a value of 125% of the degree tuition fee. The award of the minimum scholarship for such a wide range of income is one of the weaknesses of the current system”, highlights the MECI, which will now await contributions from CRUP, CCISP, APESP, Academic Associations and Federations, CNE, ANFUP and CNIPES, before the final version of the document.
“This reform in social action is an investment in the future of the country and is another decisive step in promoting equal opportunities and modernizing public policies to support students. By aligning support with the real cost of studying with the effective contribution capacity of families, this new model guarantees greater social justice, reinforces retention in Higher Education and contributes to the country’s qualifications, ensuring that no young person sees their journey interrupted due to lack of economic means”, concludes the note.