Portugal Proposes Ending Mandatory Status for Nobel Laureate José Saramago in Schools

Portugal's Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation has proposed removing José Saramago's works from the mandatory reading list for 12th-grade students, sparking debate among educators, literary institutions and the author whose work would replace them. The proposal, part of a broader revision of essential learning objectives currently under public consultation, would allow schools to choose between Saramago's "Memorial do Convento" or "O Ano da Morte de Ricardo Reis" and Mário de Carvalho's "Um Deus Passeando pela Brisa da Tarde," rather than treating Saramago's works as the sole mandatory option. Minister of Education Fernando Alexandre described the consultation as "absolutely technical" and stressed that no final decision has been made. The revised curriculum, if approved, would take effect in the 2027/28 school year.

Foundation urges "and" instead of "or" to keep both authors The José Saramago Foundation, chaired by Pilar del Río, questioned the criteria behind the proposed change and asked whether the same logic would be applied to other authors considered part of the canon of Portuguese literature. The foundation stopped short of outright opposition, instead proposing a linguistic adjustment to the curriculum document. „The position of the José Saramago Foundation will always be to bring together and not to place in comparison or opposition. Hence we leave to the Commission responsible for this change in the list of books of mandatory reading for the 12th grade the suggestion to replace the word 'or' with the word 'and', joining José Saramago with the writer Mário de Carvalho, worthy of all admiration and thus opening the door for other writers to also take part in the formation of new generations of readers” — José Saramago Foundation via Diario de Noticias The foundation also recalled Saramago's 1998 Nobel Prize acceptance speech, in which he thanked Portuguese writers past and present, noting that he was "only one more who has joined them." The foundation further asked whether the proposed change "will cover other authors who are part of the canon of Portuguese Literature, placing them as suggested reading and not mandatory." The proposal also introduces Camilo Castelo Branco as mandatory reading at the 12th-grade level, while making several other adjustments to poetry and short story requirements across the secondary curriculum.

Teachers' association backs diversification, not abandonment of Saramago João Pedro Aido, president of the Portuguese Teachers' Association, defended the proposal as a means of broadening reading habits rather than sidelining Saramago. Aido said Saramago's works would continue to be studied through the reading contract, a curriculum mechanism that links themes across different works and arts. „Saramago remains in the learning objectives and teachers are not going to stop working on Saramago” — João Pedro Aido via Notícias ao Minuto He argued that the reading contract allows students to "have a dialogue with other works or with other arts" and to develop, beyond the pleasure of reading, the pleasure of interpreting. Aido also pushed back against the notion that Mário de Carvalho's work is less demanding than Saramago's, saying: "We are not putting more complex works by Saramago as an alternative to a more accessible work." He added that Carvalho's novel prompts reflection on society and themes including immigration, and can be connected to classic texts already featured in the 12th-grade Portuguese examination. The proposal also includes a personal reading project requiring secondary school students to read at least 60 minutes per day from a book of their choice.

Carvalho welcomes recognition but rejects rivalry framing Mário de Carvalho, the writer whose work would enter the list of options, welcomed the news with measured satisfaction while firmly rejecting any framing of competition with Saramago. „For me, it meant more recognition. Therefore, someone considered that my book deserved to be read, appreciated and analyzed and suggested it. I, as you can imagine, have nothing to do with that” — Mário de Carvalho via TSF Rádio Notícias Carvalho, born in Lisbon in 1944, described Saramago as "a respectable author, moreover, whom I personally even knew," and said he does not view his book in terms of competition with anyone. Helena Buescu, a full professor at the Faculty of Letters of the University of Lisbon who coordinated the Portuguese curriculum in 2014 — when Saramago's works became mandatory under then-Education Minister Nuno Crato — told TSF that it is normal for authors to rotate in and out of school programs. „The exception for me is Camões. Luís de Camões is an author who cannot leave the canon. All the others, even Fernando Pessoa, can come and go, be replaced by one heteronym or another heteronym” — Helena Buescu via TSF Rádio Notícias The public consultation on the essential learning objectives remains open until April 28, 2026, after which the government will conduct a deeper revision of the curricular framework, including an assessment of the impact of artificial intelligence on education.

José Saramago, born on November 16, 1922, and died on June 18, 2010, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1998, becoming the first Portuguese-language author to receive the honor. His works became mandatory reading in the Portuguese 12th-grade curriculum in 2014, during the tenure of Education Minister Nuno Crato. The current revision process is part of a broader government effort to update the essential learning objectives across all school subjects, not only Portuguese literature.

Key dates in the curriculum revision process: — ; — ; — ; —