DISCIPLINE: SOCIOLOGY

Social Dynamics in Portuguese Youth

FINALITY: To understand the new ways of life of the portuguese

youth and the changes in society

Group 2

School – The Youth Relations with School

and the respective courses OBJECTIVE: To know the changes happened at formal School with the implementation of

democracy in Portugal.

Responsible Teacher: Rosário Ricou

The social dynamics of Portuguese youth

SCHOOL

Work by: Barbara, Isaura, Raquel, Rebecca, Salomé

Young people's relationships with school and education

Introduction

•School is an institution where children and teenagers spend the majority of their time in preparation for their adult life.

•50 years ago in Portugal, a country with a largely illiterate population, schooling was only compulsary until the 4th grade.

• Today the reality is very different. It is this reality that we

are going to compare and study, by comparison with the

European situation of today, taking into account the

situation that existed 50 years ago.

Specific objectives

•Compare education between Portugal and the EU;

•Understand the importance of school in the life of Portuguese young people;

•Document the number of young people that study in each of the education levels;

•Discover how many students completed their study;

•Show the academic qualifications that young Portuguese people possess to offer to the labour market.

Objectives

To inform the educational community and Comenius countries the evolution of the social agent: school.

Strategies

→ Number of students in education within the INE census.;

→ Inquiry to be used in our school to assertain from our colleagues information about school life;

→ Number of enrolled students according to gender - INE;

→ Number of enrolled students according to level of study - INE;

→ Numbers of students who leave school early, according to gender - INE;

→ Number of students to complete studies - INE;

→ Comparison between Portugal and other EU countries.

Students enrolled in state education: total by level

The number of enrolled students increased in all levels of education except

the 1st cycle which decreased from 800,000 in 1960 to 400.000 in 2009, which

clearly demonstrates the decreasing birth rate. The increase in all other levels is

due to the introduction of statutory education up to the 9th grade.

Enrolled students as a percentage of the resident population: total by educational level

The percentage of enrolled students in pre-school education has increased since 1961.

1st cycle in 1961 = 10% ------- in 2008 = 5%

2nd cycle in 1961 = 11% ------- in 1987 = 4% ------- in 2008 = 2%

3rd cycle in 1961 = 1% -------- in 1995 =5% ------- in 2008 = 4%.

Secondary in 1965 = almost zero ---- in 1995 = 5% in 1995 and has continued to diminish since.

Superior education in 1978 = 1% ------ in 2003 = 4% and has decreased slightly since.

Population, according to Census, with higher education according to gender

Although the number of men and women with higher education has increased,

it is worth noting that this increase has been much more significant in women due to

emancipation.

Populalation, according to Census, without education, by gender

In contrast, the number of young women over the age of 15 without education is

higher than young men of the same age.

Global schooling levels

Global schooling levels increase in all levels due to higher standards of statutory education, the

democratization of education, and the emancipation of women. The 1st cycle is the only level in

which global schooling levels is stable but decreases after 1987 due to falling birth rates.

Rates of abandonment by gender

The rate of educational abandonment has decreased, but not without

fluctuations, mainly by men, due to the need to find employment.

The rate of school abandonment is the percentage of students that leave

statutory education prematurely.

EU-Portugal

In 2004 Portugal registered more than double (45,5%) the number of

young European people (18.5%) who abandoned statutory education.

School abandonment (2004 figures)

% of young people between 18 & 24 years that abandon statutory education.

Completion of secundary education (2004 figures)

Whilst in most European countries 76% of young people of 22 complete secundary education, in Portugal only about 45% obtain the same level of study.

Note the results in Sweden (SE).

% of young people of 22 years that sucessfully complete secundary education.

Percentage of young people under the age of 15 that fail to reach the minimum level of literacy

( 2004 figures)

In 2004, young people under the age of 15 that fail to reach the minimum level of literacy:

- In the EU 17,5%

- In Portugal 26,3%.

Participation in life-long learning ( 2004 figures)

- 8.5% is the average number of people in the EU that participate in life-

long learning.

- In Portugal this average is 2.9%.

Portugal

Educação

Secundária

•Dos11 aos 16 anos

England

Higher Education

Spain

Literacy: 99,0 %

Entry to the EU: 1986

Basic Education

Primary education is statutory and free

Three cycles of two year each in a total of six years between the ages of six and eleven.

Secundary Education Is made up of four levels and normally between the ages of 12 and 16. It is organised according to principles of common education and according to the diversity of students. Parents and students can decide after a pupil reaches the age of 16, to terminate statutory education.

Summary

School is a place of formal learning that aims to allow young people to enter the adult

community.

•Also, through informal education, made possible through schooling, with pupil/teacher,

pupil/staff and pupil/pupil relations, the integration of individuals in the community is made

possible.

Through the evolution of the Portuguese school we can notice significant improvements,

not forgetting the inferior point of departure in comparison the European average noted in

the beginning of this study.

• Within the period under study, the drop in the birth rate has been registered principally in basic

education.

• There is a general growth in the standard of education of Portuguese youth who are

increasingly prolonging their studies.

• Noticable is the increase and the 'femininization' of education, above all in further education.

• Inter-generational differences are also important. Many students leave education in order to

enter the labour market whilst other continue their studies and go to university.

Conclusion Analising data from the last 50 years of schooling in Portugal, we can conclude that there are

significant differences in Portuguese society and that these developments are likely to continue.

•Schools have improved;

•Parents are giving greater value to their childrens school education;

•The country has developed a greater concern for universal education, providing increasing support

and finance to those in need;

•The country has developed in parallel to the increase in the levels of education and the standard of

students attainments.

All of these advancements in Portuguese schools have allowed a higher competence of

knowledge areas, allowing society to evolve, creating the conditions for greater social dignity and

equality.

• In 50 years we have the 'Magalhães' generation, the 'Comenius' generation and the hope that

within the next 50 years the Portuguese can affirm their position in the world through their

knowledge.

Carolina Micaëlis High School

Porto – Portugal 2009/2010

Paper by:

Barbara Torres, Isaura Nova

12º H

and

Raquel Branco, Rebecca Howard, Salomé Mendes

12ºJ

Responsible Teacher: Rosário Ricou