"Classrooms burn and teachers, too": STEI warns of an unprecedented crisis in public schools

PalmaSTEI has taken stock of the 2025-2026 academic year and has criticized the management of the Ministry of Education, which it accuses of having failed to fulfill part of the agreements signed in 2023 and of not addressing the main problems of the educational system. The union has warned that, if its demands are not met, it will plan mobilizations during the next academic year.

The secretary of Public Education of STEI, Vicenç Garcia, has summarized the end of the academic year with one word: ""heat". "The classrooms are burning, and so are the teachers. Teaching is no longer like it used to be, we lack staff, we have too much paperwork, and teachers feel overwhelmed. The teaching profession is no longer attractive," he stated.

Garcia has framed this situation within an international teaching crisis and recalled that, according to Unesco, the profession faces "an unprecedented crisis". "This abandonment is a symptom that the teaching staff is really burnt out", he warned, before arguing that "only better conditions for the teaching staff will be able to dress a public and quality education". The union representative also criticized the lack of negotiation with Education. "The Conselleria's negotiating dynamic has been absent", he assured. While acknowledging that there have been "relative improvements", he maintained that "the red light of the traffic light exceeds the green and orange lights".

Among the main criticisms, Garcia has placed the linguistic segregation plan promoted by the Government. According to his denunciation, adhering centers register "20 points less in Catalan than in Spanish level", a fact that, in his opinion, evidences the need to reinforce the native language. He also censured the advancement of the opposition exams to May and the decree of strategic projects, because, as he said, "a new blow was dealt to the Catalan language" by shortening the deadlines for reports from the Consell Escolar de les Illes Balears. "Saving public school implies building a healthy climate, to have a real inclusive education, to have a dignified salary and a school in Catalan", he claimed. "The teaching staff asks for a new social contract that listens to their voice and faces the challenges to come", he added.

Bureaucracy, conflicts and burnout

The head of the list for the Teaching Staff Board of Mallorca in the upcoming 2026 elections, Dani Carmona, has presented the results of a survey on the reality of educational centers. According to the data presented, 96% of teachers consider that bureaucracy takes time away from teaching; 91% state that ratios prevent adequate attention to diversity; 74% believe they do not have the necessary resources to guarantee quality education; 78% define the work environment as conflictive; 79% perceive an increase in verbal aggressions by students; 75% an increase in aggressions from families; 77% consider that the excessive working day harms work-life balance, and 87% assure that society does not value teaching work and that the salary is inadequate.

"Public schools have always been defined as a key instrument for social cohesion, equal opportunities, and collective progress. The social function is in danger," warned Carmona. He also denounced that teachers are "suffocated," with high ratios, a lack of resources to address diversity, and an increase in classroom conflict. As he explained, this situation leads many professionals to consider leaving the profession. "Colleagues' inquiries are no longer about labor rights, but also about requesting early retirement or possibilities to change jobs," he lamented. Therefore, he called for "political and financial commitment" and to raise educational investment to 6% of GDP.

More support, fewer ratios, and a plan against heat

The president of the Teaching Staff Board of Mallorca, Catalina Bibiloni, has detailed the union's main demands for the next academic year. In terms of coexistence, she assured that 78% of teachers perceive an increase in violence in classrooms and demanded that teachers have easy access to legal services, that the Administration support them when they file complaints, and that the recognition of pedagogical authority be strengthened.

Regarding labor well-being, she requested to reduce bureaucracy through an external audit to determine which administrative tasks are dispensable, as well as to implement a labor health plan with free psychological support, measures to prevent professional burnout, and a digital disconnection plan so that teachers do not have to be pending WhatsApp groups or respond to emails outside of working hours. She also demanded measures to facilitate access to housing for teaching staff.

Regarding ratios, STEI denounces that the 2023 agreement is not being fulfilled. For the 2026-2027 academic year, it calls for a maximum of 20 students in the second cycle of Infantil, 22 in Primaria, 28 in ESO, and 32 in Batxillerat, with the aim of reaching 17 students in Infantil, 20 in Primaria, 24 in ESO, and 28 in Batxillerat in the 2027-2028 academic year. The union also requests that students with specific educational support needs count as three places when calculating ratios and that, if exceptional increases of up to 10% are authorized, the Conselleria guarantees the necessary professionals.

In the area of inclusion, Bibiloni has called for a review of the criteria with which Education assigns support professionals, because, as has been denounced, schools are not receiving the necessary resources. It has also advocated for improved professional recognition for teachers. It has recalled that, according to the union, over the last 16 years, teaching staff has lost 23% of its purchasing power and has called for the full recovery of extra payments, the equalization of professional careers with those of other civil servants, the elimination of the five-year seniority limit, and an increase in educational investment to 6% of GDP.

STEI has also denounced the high temperatures recorded in educational centers during the last weeks of the academic year. According to Bibiloni, temperatures between 27 and 33 degrees have been detected in classrooms, a situation that causes "lack of attention, dizziness in students and teachers" and prevents teaching and learning in conditions.

For this reason, it has called for a thermal comfort plan that includes the renovation of old buildings, more shade in patios, and the creation of climate refuges.

Defense of Catalan

Finally, the union has accused the Government of having "systematically attacked the language" and has called for the immediate withdrawal of the Linguistic Segregation Plan. According to Bibiloni, the students participating in it present a "very low" level of Catalan. The STEI also proposes to strengthen the welcome programs, increase the linguistic facilitators and incorporate a professional Catalan module in all vocational training cycles.

Regarding a possible strike, given the problematic context explained, the union representatives have pointed out that the situation in the Balearic Islands is similar to that of Catalonia and the Valencian Community, but they have emphasized that "the situation is not exactly the same". In any case, they have warned that they will first submit their proposals to the Ministry and that, "if they are not met, we will activate mobilizations".