LISBON, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Portugal's Education Minister Fernando Alexandre announced on Tuesday a 160-percent rise in immigrant students attending Portuguese schools since 2019.
Presenting the OECD's "Education at a Glance 2024" report, the minister said that this significant increase has halted the trend of declining student populations. The student population in Portugal has soared from 53,000 to 140,000 since 2019.
The minister described the surge as a "good problem" to have, highlighting the critical role foreign students play in maintaining a healthy and cohesive society.
"The integration of immigrants is essential for our economy and society," he said.
While immigrant students now account for 13.9 percent of primary and secondary school pupils, the challenge remains as 25-30 percent of these students do not speak Portuguese.
In response, Alexandre said the government would soon introduce measures to help schools integrate these students effectively.
The minister also noted that immigration not only impacted the student population in primary and secondary education but also in higher education.
The proportion of international students in Portuguese universities has grown significantly from 4 percent in 2013 to 12 percent by 2022. Foreign students enrolling in master's degree programs have seen a similar jump, with their share growing from 5 percent to 15 percent over the same period.
