Late school registrations are on the agenda of politics in Portugal: Nuno Melo blamed immigration policies

Following the start of the 2026/27 academic year in Portugal, the continued registration of some students after classes started turned into a political debate.

CDS-PP leader and Defense Minister Nuno Melo linked the delays to the immigration policies of previous PS governments. However, this link is Melo's political assessment: The official registration calendar and available public sources reviewed by PTNewsHub do not provide data showing that the majority of late registrations are due to immigration policies.

What did Nuno Melo say?

In his speech at his party's political event in Albergaria-a-Velha on September 19, Nuno Melo said that some students were still enrolled after the academic year started.

The CDS leader claimed that most of the late registrations were linked to students arriving in Portugal later and attributed this situation to the immigration policies of previous PS governments.

Melo also criticized Chega and argued that the party's past political stance did not contribute to the solution of the problem.

These are Nuno Melo's political claims.

What does the official registration calendar say?

Normal registration and registration renewal periods for the 2026/27 academic year were held on different dates depending on the education level.

According to official gov.pt information:

Preschool and 1st grade: April 22–June 1

2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th grades: July 1–13

6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 11th grades: June 16–29

and 12th grades: July 15–22

In some class transitions Registration renewal is automatic as long as the conditions do not change.

It is possible for the transactions to occur during the academic year for students who come to Portugal after the normal registration periods or for children who are included in the education system later.

Is there a confirmed link between migration and delays?

Here it is necessary to distinguish between political statement and verified data.

Nuno Melo associates the majority of late registrations with migration movements. However, in the official sources examined, there is no up-to-date national data revealing how many late registrations consist of students who have recently arrived in the country and its share in total delays.

Therefore, the available information is not sufficient to use the statement “enrollment delays were caused by immigration” as a confirmed conclusion.

Why is the topic important?

Once the academic year starts in Portugal, placing students in school is not just an administrative matter.

Late registrations can affect class planning, teacher needs and student capacity of schools.

One of the practical issues facing the education administration is the rapid inclusion of children who come to the country, especially after the start of the academic year, into the system.

However, detailed student and enrollment data, independent of political statements, is needed to assess the extent and root causes of this problem.

Resources

Rádio Renascença / Lusa — September 19, 2026

https://rr.pt/noticia/pais/2026/09/19/cds-diz-que-atrasos-nas-matriculas-resultam-de-politicas-desastrosas-do-ps-na-imigracao/486096/

Diário de Notícias / Lusa — 20 September 2026

https://www.dn.pt/pol%C3%ADtica/cds-nuno-melo-diz-que-atrasos-nas-matrculas-resultam-do-desastre-das-polticas-do-ps-na-imigrao

Gov.pt — 2026/27 school registration and registration renewal calendar

https://www.gov.pt/servicos/fazer-pedidos-de-matricula-e-renovacao-de-matricula-nos-ensinos-pre-escolar-basico-e-secundario