The Governance of Public Education Institutions in Portugal

Abstract

Governance models evolved dynamically, complex, global, and interactive. The aim of this study was to analyze non-superior public education institutions in Portugal, with the new model of governance, in which the school opened for society. The work of the multiple case study presented followed a qualitative methodology and the principles of the founded theory analyzing the elements of the General Council: their participation and shame. The authors consider four school groups, with different academic and socioeconomic profiles. The data collected in interviews, document analysis and unmarked observation were subject to content analysis. Obstacles to the execution of the GC's competences and the effective participation of its members highlight pressures exercised by the director in decision making, monopolizing the information provided to the GC, aggravating during the pandemic. The authors ended up with recommendations for the operation of the most effective and democratic GC.