Education is one of the sectors most affected by the extension of the Generalitat’s budgets that sought to meet numerous demands, many of them included in the dossier of the group of experts delivered last week to Minister Anna Simó. The report is now a dead letter because it does not include the allocation of the 50 million in economic support. Only those initiatives that do not require funds can be saved. However, the most unfortunate thing is that the opportunity to strengthen inclusive schools and the fight against inequality is lost, both aspects also included by experts.
Likewise, teachers are left without the job improvements agreed upon with the department which, unlike health, were linked to the approval of budgets. These are payments for more than 43,000 workers.
Investment in education had been set at 7,508 million, 10% more than in 2023, one of the highest budgets in history.
Councilor Anna Simó is assessing whether in this context, and thinking that the constitution of a new government can be stepped on with the start of the new academic year, in September 2024, when everything has to be prepared, the Department of Economy is urged to make a extraordinary. If approved, he would have to publish an emergency decree in the coming weeks before the electoral campaign begins.
These are the main folders that are now closed.
No money for teachers
The highest item was personnel expenses (4,704 million), which increased by 8%. This chapter included the 67.5 million to reverse the cuts caused by the economic crisis.
The improvements were, first of all, the reduction of teaching hours for the next academic year for those over 60 years of age (there are 4,000 teachers in this situation) and for the next year, 2025-2026, for those over 55.
Secondly, return to the six-year term pay that is now collected every 9 years.
Finally, the salary equalization of Vocational Training technical teachers.
Together, these three measures improved the salaries of 43,400 teachers and educational personnel, which is practically half of the staff of schools and institutes.
The union organizations, not all of which signed the pact, ask that, despite the extension, the department find a way to make it effective. The improvements, otherwise, would be left for the next year.
The inclusive school
The inclusive school decree was signed in the tumultuous October 2017, without economic support, and has not yet found the time to be deployed.
In this year, a step forward was taken by providing it with a fund of 626 million euros to serve the almost 300,000 students with needs who are enrolled in ordinary schools and who require specific support.
In the budgets, 339 new workers were hired (special education, psychopedagogues, hearing and language teachers, physiotherapists or social educators).
Measurements by PISA
From the report of the group of experts that proposed measures to improve school skills, after the poor results in PISA, Educació will only be able to rescue proposals without financial cost. The fund of 50 million, insufficient to respond to everything, was for the next academic year 2024-2025.
Help for children
183 million were foreseen in the 0-3 years stage, of which 67 million were to consolidate free provision for 2-year-old children, in public and private centers (which concerned private daycare centers). The town councils that co-pay the costs would also receive 200 euros per place.
The evaluation agency
Due to a clumsy interpretation of the PISA results by the Consell Superior d’Avaluació and which was transferred to the department, the dismissal of its president and the creation of a new independent entity with greater evaluation competence was announced.
Education has accelerated the procedures for the creation of the Evaluation and Prospecting Agency that was supposed to be underway in September and had endowed it with a budget of 3.45 million.
Changes in FP
The implementation of the FP law is scheduled for September 2024, which requires numerous changes, including a reference center and counselors. This forces the centers to be readapted. For example, there cannot be ESO students in vocational training centers where there are adults of all ages since the reference centers also give professional certificates and refresher courses for companies. For construction reforms there was a budget of 630 million, 50 more than in 2023.
The Spanish Government has reported that, despite the extension of its own budgets, it will maintain the vocational training reinforcement plan announced, although not detailed.
Segregation and language
The budgets included 62 million for the fight against school segregation, within the framework of the Ombudsman’s pact. These funds were intended to finance the “school backpack” of vulnerable students. The provision for the charter school was improved.
Regarding the language, the reception classrooms were increased (73 million) and the plan to promote Catalan was allocated 13 million.
Universities
For the second consecutive year, the budget of this department increased by 100 million (1,682 million). Campus financing increased by 70 million and public tuition fees were reduced again. Funding for research and knowledge transfer was also supported (300 million).
