In Portugal, many young people and families are opting for homeschooling as an alternative to regular education, in search of flexibility and personalized support. To guarantee an organized and recognized curriculum, some turn to so-called umbrella schools,private institutions, often based in the United States, which supervise and certify the educational path of homeschooled students through portfolios and structured assessments.

However, when they finish secondary school through these institutions, many young people face difficulties getting their diploma accepted in Portugal. Higher education institutions and some secondary and technical schools don't always recognize the certificate awarded by umbrella schools, considering it not to correspond to the Portuguese curriculum. This creates frustration for students who, after completing secondary school with great dedication and success, end up not being able to enter higher education in Portugal or access professional opportunities that require a 12th grade education.

The Skills Recognition, Validation and Certification (RVCC) process, offered by the Qualifica Centres, can be a practical and quick solution for validating secondary education and obtaining an official, nationally recognized 12th grade diploma. Through this process, it is possible to formally recognize the skills acquired during the course of domestic education and obtain a secondary school diploma in Portugal.

The RVCC process is an initiative of the adult education system in Portugal that allows candidates to obtain a basic or secondary education diploma by recognizing the skills they have acquired throughout their lives, both in formal and informal contexts. It is aimed at people aged 18 or over who, for various reasons, have not completed basic or secondary education in the traditional way.

The RVCC values the practical experience, knowledge and skills that the candidate possesses, whether acquired in a professional environment, in personal life or through home schooling. In the case of young people from umbrella schools,The RVCC process makes it possible to convert the curriculum developed and validated in these schools into certified competences that correspond to the requirements of Portuguese secondary education.

The RVCC process takes place at the Qualifica centers,throughout the country and is made up of several stages aimed at recognizing, validating and certifying candidates' competences in order to obtain a basic or secondary education diploma. 

The RVCC methodology is based on assessing the candidate's skills in various areas through the creation of a skills portfolio.This portfolio brings together evidence that demonstrates the knowledge and skills acquired by the candidate throughout their life, in both formal and informal contexts. Through this process, candidates can obtain a diploma without having to take all the subjects in the traditional curriculum, as long as they can demonstrate the skills required in each area of training.

The candidate registers at a Qualifica Center, where an initial diagnostic session is held. This session is used to assess the candidate's background and skills, determining which areas of knowledge have already been consolidated and which may need strengthening. For young people who have finished secondary school with umbrella schools,this phase is important to present the portfolios they have developed, which can help prove their learning.

The portfolio is the key document in the RVCC process. In this document, the candidate records and organizes their learning, evidence and experiences. For homeschooling candidates with umbrella schools,the portfolio can include academic work, assessments, projects and other documents produced during their schooling. These are complemented by an autobiography, in which the candidate explains their educational background and experiences. The autobiography can also be supplemented with photographs. The autobiography can also be supplemented with photographs.

The acronyms CP, STC and CLC are terms used in the context of the RVCC process to identify the different areas of competences assessed within secondary education. Here's what each one means:

CP - Citizenship and Critical Thinking: This area assesses the candidate's competences related to knowledge of citizenship rights and duties, the ability to critically analyse social, political and cultural issues, and active participation in society. It also involves the ability to reflect on ethical and moral issues, and the ability to make informed decisions.

STC - Societies and Communication Technologies: This area focuses on the domain of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), and the candidate's ability to use digital tools effectively for communication and solving everyday problems. It includes competences in the use of technologies for work, research, learning and communication, promoting digital literacy.

CLC - Sciences, Languages and Cultures: This involves mastering competences related to Language and Communication, covering expression and comprehension skills, both in Portuguese and in other languages such as English. It also encompasses knowledge of sciences and culture, being a combination of areas that allows the assessment of the candidate's competences in the areas of communication, sciences and general culture.

These areas are fundamental for the validation of the educational path in the RVCC process, addressing transversal competences that are essential for the candidates' personal and professional development.

Once the portfolio has been completed, the candidate appears before an assessment team made up of trainers and specialised technicians. They assess the competences demonstrated and check that they correspond to the level required by Portuguese secondary education. The assessment is based on an analysis of the evidence and fulfilment of the specific criteria for each area.

In this phase, the portfolio is presented through a theme that should incorporate several key points of the portfolio, including foreign language proficiency.

In the event of gaps in certain areas, the Qualifica Centre can offer complementary training. These are short and focussed on strengthening the skills the candidate needs to successfully complete the process.

In this phase, the portfolio is presented through a theme that should incorporate several key points of the portfolio, including foreign language proficiency.

Once all the competency areas have been validated, the candidate receives a secondary school diploma (12th grade) issued by the Ministry of Education and recognised in Portugal. This diploma confers the same rights as the diploma obtained in the traditional way, allowing entry to higher education institutions and access to the labour market.

The portfolios developed during homeschooling with umbrella schools, can be an asset in the RVCC process, as they already include evidence of learning and projects in various areas of knowledge. These documents allow the candidate to demonstrate that they have acquired competences in essential subjects such as Maths, Science, Portuguese, English and ICT, and can be used in the preparation of the competences portfolio.

The autobiography acts as a summary of the educational pathway and contextualises learning, making it easier for assessors to understand the candidate's domestic education trajectory and how they acquired the necessary competences.

The RVCC process can be completed in around three months, depending on the candidate's preparation and the availability of the Qualifica Centre. This timeframe varies and is influenced by each candidate's experience and the need for further training. In some centres it can take up to a year, mostly due to the availability of trainers, as well as the time it takes for the candidate to write their autobiography, which includes the minimum number of areas needed to be considered complete.

The diploma obtained through the RVCC is an official secondary school diploma, issued by the Ministry of Education and valid in Portugal. This diploma confers the same rights as any 12th grade diploma obtained through the regular route, and is accepted by law in all public and private institutions, including universities and polytechnic institutes.

For young people who have completed secondary education with umbrella schools,the RVCC process is an effective solution for formally validating the 12th grade and guaranteeing a diploma recognised in Portugal. RVCC allows you to take advantage of the learning you've done and turn it into an official certificate that facilitates entry into higher education and integration into the labour market.