Portugal, 19 October
Committee members Ignasi Grau Callizo and Rodrigo Queiroz de Melo have published an article in Publico (Portugal) on the Guiding Principles of Educational Pluralism.
The article calls for a renewed focus on the essential role of parents in educational decision-making at a time of significant change and disruption.The article highlights the importance of strengthening the partnership between schools and families, recognising parents’ role in their children’s educational development and ensuring that their perspectives are considered in decisions that directly affect their children.
As education systems face new challenges and evolving expectations, the relationship between families and schools remains a fundamental element of a successful educational environment. Meaningful parental participation can help foster trust, transparency and shared responsibility, while ensuring that children’s educational needs remain central to the debate.
The article invites policymakers, educators and society as a whole to reconsider the balance between institutional responsibilities and parental rights, placing family engagement and educational freedom at the centre of discussions about the future of education.Ultimately, the debate is about more than educational policy: it concerns the role of families, the responsibilities of schools and the importance of ensuring that parents have a meaningful voice in shaping their children’s educational journeys.
Read the original article in Público:
https://www.publico.pt/2026/10/19/opiniao/opiniao/educacao-disrupcao-colocar-pais-lugar-central-2191380