Portugal is the oldest nation state in Europe, and once had a global empire that spanned six centuries. But recently, the country has been burdened by economic issues like too much sovereign debt and sluggish growth. Unequal education in Portugal is one of the underlying reasons why the country is having trouble generating the growth it needs to reduce its deficit.

The quality of math and science education in particular rank low on a global scale. The Portuguese government has invested a lot of resources towards improving educational standards, but the education gap remains and this is leaving the country with too many unskilled workers at a time when employers are demanding a more highly educated workforce. In addition to these issues, Portugal's export sector is uncompetitive, and the country is too reliant on consumption.