Catalan is once again the majority option for families, but it loses strength for the second consecutive year
Mallorca, Menorca and Formentera exceed 80% of Catalan choice, while in Ibiza the difference with Spanish is reduced to just over six points
PalmaThe majority of families in the Balearic Islands continue to choose Catalan as the primary language of instruction for children starting the fourth year of Early Childhood Education (3 years old) next academic year. However, the percentage has dropped for the second consecutive year. According to data released this Thursday by the Ministry of Education and Universities, 78.5% of families who have formalized their enrollment in public centers have chosen Catalan, while 21.4% have opted for Spanish. (83% in the 2024-2025 academic year and 80% in the 2025-2026 academic year). These results need to be contextualized.
7,618 families have completed enrollment in public and subsidized schools. The figures represent a new decrease in the weight of Catalan as the language of primary education. Last year, this option was chosen by 80.52% of families, while in 2024 the percentage reached 83%. In two years, therefore, support for Catalan has fallen by 4.5 percentage points.
Ibiza and the rest: an abyss
Mallorca continues to be the island with the most registrations and also where Catalan maintains a clear majority. Of the 5,942 families that have formalized their enrollment, 81.8% have chosen this language and 18.1% Spanish. In Menorca, Catalan continues to be the practically hegemonic option. Of the 583 registrations recorded, 523 families (89.7%) have selected it as their first language of instruction, while 60 (10.3%) have opted for Spanish.
The most catastrophic situation for Catalan occurs in Ibiza. Of the 1,036 registrations formalized, 53.3% of families have chosen Catalan and 46.7% Spanish, a difference of just over six percentage points. In Formentera, finally, of the 57 registrations recorded, 47 families (82.5%) have chosen Catalan and 10 (17.5%) Spanish.