2025-2026 School Year: The Ministry of Education says the average student ratio for 4th grade will be 16.3 students per classroom.
According to Councillor Antoni Vera, who spoke to the Balearic Islands School Council, 59.4% of the groups have fewer than 17 students.
PalmEducation Minister Antoni Vera stated before the plenary session of the School Council of the Balearic Islands that the average ratio of 4th grade students per classroom in Early Childhood Education for the 2025-2026 academic year will be 16.3 students, a figure below the maximum established by the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sports, which is 22 students, which alters these figures. He also highlighted that 59.4% of 4th grade Early Childhood Education groups in the Balearic Islands have fewer than 17 students, a positive indicator that reflects the effort to ensure more individualized attention to students.
24% of groups have a ratio of fewer than 11 students, 13.9% have a ratio of between 11 and 14 students, 23.5% have a ratio of between 15 and 17, 15.6% have a ratio of between 18 and 22, and 8% of groups have a ratio of more than 22 children. "In these latter cases, it is often not possible to split the groups due to a lack of physical space in the centers. For this reason, the Regional Ministry provides these groups with additional resources to ensure adequate educational support," explains Educació in a statement.
News for the 2025-2026 academic year
Minister Vera announced several new features that will begin operating next year, such as the implementation of new educational curricula and assessment orders. He also announced that ten new public schools will be added to the 0-3 age preschool program in the 2025-2026 school year. In total, more than 14,100 places are planned, approximately 1,700 more than the previous year.
Regarding regulations, the Minister noted that starting next academic year, a ban on the use of cell phones and other personal electronic devices will come into effect in non-university educational centers, both public and private. Specific instructions will also be issued to regulate the consumption of energy drinks during outings and activities outside of school. Currently, their sale is already prohibited in schools, given their high concentration of caffeine and other substances harmful to the health of minors. Finally, the Minister reported that the process of allocating places for the next academic year will be carried out in two phases: one in July and the other in September, with the aim of ensuring that teachers know their destination as soon as possible.