Catalan is at the tail end: it is the subject with the worst results in the second year of ESO in the Balearic Islands

PalmaMore than 80% of primary and second-year ESO students in the Balearic Islands have consolidated or are in the process of consolidating their competencies in English, Spanish, Catalan, and mathematics, according to the results of the tests from the Institute for the Evaluation and Quality of the Educational System (IAQSE) corresponding to the 2025-2026 academic year. However, the data show differences between stages and subjects, especially in Catalan in the second year of ESO, where the percentage of students who have achieved the learning outcomes or are in the process of doing so is 71.7%.

The Department of Education and Universities reported this Tuesday that nearly 25,000 students in the fourth and sixth grades of primary school and the second year of ESO have participated in these evaluations. The results indicate that, across the three educational levels, the majority of students are at the learning consolidation levels or in the process of consolidating them. In the second year of ESO, Catalan is the subject with the lowest percentage of students at these levels, at 71.7%. This figure contrasts with 82.3% for Spanish, 81.9% for English, and 80.6% for mathematics.

In the fourth year of primary school, the percentages of students who have consolidated or are in the process of consolidating learning are 79.4% in English, 84.9% in Spanish, 81.4% in Catalan, and 86.2% in mathematics. The latter is the subject with the highest percentage at this level, while English presents the lowest result. In the case of the sixth year of primary school, 81.5% of the students are at the consolidation levels or in the process of doing so in English; 85.7% in Spanish; 82.1% in Catalan, and 85.7% in mathematics.

The Ministry has highlighted that, for the first time since the implementation of the LOMLOE, these tests have been carried out on sixth-grade primary school students to determine the level of knowledge consolidation at the end of this educational stage. Participating centers will receive a report with the results obtained, with the aim of identifying the strengths and areas for improvement of the students. According to Education, these assessments are a tool to understand the level of acquisition of basic competencies and to guide improvement actions for both the centers and the educational administration.