New storm in the educational world. And once again, the reason should not be sought in the decisions taken, but in the time and manner in which they were taken. For the second year, this time without the presence of the president Pere Aragonès, the Minister of Education, Josep Gonzà lez-Cambray, has announced the start date of the 2023-2024 academic year as a surprise and without tying the previous complicities with the educational community, something that generated a historic protest last year.
And it’s not the date, almost assumed by the sector, but the moment – before the trade union table is held (called for today) and without having the opinion of the CEC. Also the way to present the measure as a consensus. Cambray explained the move as “the result of an open dialogue process with community representatives,†but the community has not seen its concerns discussed.
“This is a mockery”, said the UGT. “He lies when he talks about dialogue”, said CC.OO. “Once again, the calendar order announced in the press and before negotiating at the sectoral table”, protested Ustec-stes, whose members immediately went to the department.
The decision of the date was valued at the heart of the Council that on Wednesday wanted to settle the internal disagreements in a meeting that annulled Education. The CEC presented a report in which it expresses the dissensions and concerns (air conditioning, July trainings, time to prepare the course…) and that 19 members voted in favor (equivalent to the representatives of the administration), 15 against and 3 abstentions. But it is what the councilor has used to affirm the existence of dialogue.
From the infant stage to the 4th grade of ESO, the course will start on September 6, and on the 12th for high school and FP. The day will be in the morning and afternoon from the beginning and the experience of the afternoons of educational leisure from last September will not be repeated, inefficient, expensive and contrary to equity, as the CEC points out.
The course will end on June 21, except for baccalaureate, FP and professional courses in plastic arts and design, which will end on the 17th. The make-up exams will be from June 18 to 21.
This means that the course will have 178 days, the maximum level allowed by law, and, according to Education, no more days will be needed than the current free ones.
The dates are already set, even if the calendar order has not been published. This is no minor legal matter, a letter that few keep. The order needs the opinion of the CEC, which is not binding but perceptive, and if it is not signed it could put the Government in a commitment. Councilor Josep Gonzà lez-Cambray fixed the 6th as a Solomonic decision.
In reality, the families had not proposed a specific date, they wanted to start the school year “as soon as possible”, and full time, when the optimal conditions for the schools were given. It had to be, of course, the first week of the month as determined by the Government. The unions did set one, on September 8, Friday, to have five days of course preparation.
The school principals also asked for it and, if it was before, they asked to agree a legal framework to be able to demand the presence of the teachers in July at the center (which is not possible without changing the calendar order of the current school year , which is until August, and a modification would require going through the CEC).
Cambray said that this is a change “that has come to stay because the department wants to devote energy to educational transformation”. Thus, to avoid future conflicts, the courses will always start on the fourth working day of September.
