Parliament opposes abolishing the single school zone and the language segregation plan

PalmThe Catalan Parliament on Tuesday rejected a Socialist Party (PSOE) initiative that called for the elimination of the single school district, the Baccalaureate of Excellence program, and the Free Choice of Language Plan, as well as guaranteeing that the processes for accessing public teaching positions respect the Catalan language requirement without exception, including for hard-to-fill positions. The main points of the motion were rejected thanks to the votes of the People's Party (PP) and Vox, which prevented the Socialist proposals from passing. Socialist MP Àlex Pitaluga defended the initiative during the plenary session and took the opportunity to criticize the Ministry of Education and Universities for making decisions "without consensus," such as bringing forward the teacher recruitment exams or the moratorium on Catalan language accreditation for certain positions. "This motion raises the question of what educational model we want, how we treat teachers, and whether we will help schools function better," Pitaluga summarized.

The Más deputy for Mallorca, Maria Ramon, who supported the initiative, criticized the PP for "indulging Vox's whims," ​​referring to the exemption from the Catalan language requirement for teachers filling hard-to-fill positions. "Last week it was democratic memory, and tomorrow, Catalan," she criticized. Similarly, Joana Gomila, from Menorca, accused the Ministry of Education of taking measures "without listening" to the educational community, especially with the implementation of the Free Choice of Language Plan, which "fulfills Vox's obsessions." For her part, Ana Isabel Curtó, from the PP, maintained that the Socialist motion "does not seek to improve the education system," but rather "to return to the education policy" of the previous government. Vox deputy Manuela Cañadas rejected the initiative and asserted that "far from providing solutions, it persists in its obsession with reopening ideological debates." Regarding the language issue, he argued that the Catalan requirement "cannot be a barrier that prevents filling positions or degrades the quality of education."

What has prospered

Despite rejecting most of the points, the Catalan Parliament has approved some measures from the initiative. Among them, it calls on the Government to guarantee and analyze the strengthening of the Ibsteam program, with a stable structure for advising and supporting schools in scientific, technological, and digital skills. Furthermore, the Parliament demands that any modification to municipal educational planning be carried out with the participation of local councils and the educational community, and that a system of maximum prices or regulated fees be established for extracurricular activities in early childhood education centers outside of the four free hours. The Socialists also demanded the removal of the advanced baccalaureate program, considered "segregating," and a commitment to a model that promotes educational excellence through inclusion, equal opportunities, and the strengthening of all public schools. However, this request was rejected by the parliamentary majority.