Portuguese language teachers stationed across Asia have expressed deep concerns to Lusa regarding the proposed revision of the Legal Framework for Portuguese Teaching Abroad (RJEPE). The educators argue that the update introduces job precarity and compromises the role of the Portuguese language as an “instrument of cultural diplomacy.”
Delfim Correia da Silva, a lecturer for the Camões Institute and coordinator of the Portuguese and Lusophone Studies Program at the University of Goa, stresses that Articles 50 and 51 of the proposal represent “a step backward” by suspending teachers’ ties to the civil service and limiting the duration of service commissions.
“Instability and precarity will spread to all teachers, whether they are permanently linked or on temporary contracts,” he states, noting that for over a decade, the existing framework favored professional and familial stability.
Correia da Silva also highlighted the total lack of structured career paths and professional progression, which severely damages teacher motivation and retention.
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“Failing to renew service commissions simply equates to unemployment,” he told Lusa, adding that the proposed salary scales completely ignore seniority bonuses, curricula, and geographic constraints, resulting in major financial losses.
According to the lecturer, this creeping job insecurity also undermines cultural diplomacy: “We are small diplomats for the Portuguese language and culture, but we are working like trapeze artists without a safety net.”
The Camões Institute oversees the instruction of Portuguese language and culture at the higher education level globally through its network of lectureships, operating in tandem with international organizations and universities. In Asia, it currently maintains lecturers and teachers across mainland China, Macau, Vietnam, India, South Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand, and East Timor.
In Vietnam, Márcio Santos, a Portuguese lecturer at the University of Hanoi, told Lusa that the government’s proposed model does not foster genuine rotation, but rather systemic instability.
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“Our contracts would terminate with no option for renewal and without a new posting in sight,” he notes critically, pointing out the requirement to repeatedly retake exams and interviews despite existing periodic evaluations.
The lecturer emphasizes that the absence of structured career trajectories worsens the difficulty of filling vacancies and erodes motivation. “Promoting the Portuguese language depends on relationships of trust built over time. A precarious network weakens that very foundation,” he asserts.
Regarding working conditions, Santos points to the mismatch between salaries, qualifications, and the local cost of living, alongside the accumulation of administrative burdens that extend far beyond regular teaching duties. “Current salaries do not reflect the scope of our functions, and at times, don’t even guarantee a dignified standard of living,” he laments.
Both educators advocate for balanced solutions that reconcile institutional stability with the necessary renewal of the EPE (Portuguese Teaching Abroad) network.
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Correia da Silva calls for a “strategic analysis” that values the historical and cultural significance of Portugal’s ties with the Indian subcontinent, while Santos suggests eliminating the requirement for new exams when transferring postings and adjusting remuneration structures.
The proposed RJEPE review put forward by the government is facing heavy backlash from teachers and coordinators across the EPE network.
In addition to two open letters published this month, a petition has been launched that has garnered over 8,000 signatures and is slated for delivery to the Assembly of the Republic. The document warns against the risk of job casualization and the eventual dismantling of the network, urging the government to prioritize the labor and financial stability of the 381 teachers deployed across 48 nations.
Among the most recurring criticisms is the limitation placed on service commissions. Currently renewable based on positive performance reviews, the commissions would be restricted to a maximum of two renewals.
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Professionals warn that this modification would force out experienced and competent educators regardless of positive evaluations, potentially amounting to a “collective dismissal” of roughly 350 professors and lecturers.
Negotiations with the government kicked off on May 28, with further meetings scheduled for June 29 and July 13, where career structures are expected to take center stage.
