Teachers will have 'mosconos' days for the first time: this is how it will be decided who chooses first

PalmPublic school teachers will be able to enjoy up to six personal days per year for the first time, known as 'moscosos'. The Regional Ministry of Education is processing a resolution that regulates leave for personal matters for tenured teaching staff, a right that already exists for other public employees, but which until now had not been specifically developed for this group. Temporary teachers will be able to enjoy the same leave if they fill a vacant or program position and start during the first two months of the school year. In other cases, the number of days will be calculated proportionally to the actual working time, with the understanding that 175 school days worked (a full school year) are equivalent to the six full days of leave.

According to the draft resolution, teachers will be able to take a maximum of six paid working days off per school year without needing to provide justification, always subject to the needs of the educational service and the organization of the schools. The measure will be implemented, if all goes according to plan, starting September 1, 2026. The regulation develops what is stipulated in the Basic Statute of Public Employees and also fulfills the framework agreement signed in 2023 between the Ministry of Education, headed by Martí March, and the unions of the Education Sectoral Committee.

Mandatory distribution

• The resolution establishes six days of leave for personal matters per school year, but also sets out how these days should be distributed throughout the calendar to avoid disruptions in the organization of schools. The calendar is divided into four different periods: The period between the first working days of September and the start of classes with students.
• The period between the end of teaching activities with students and the last working day of June.
• The school term, that is, the time when there are classes with students.
• The remaining non-teaching working days of the course.

For tenured teaching staff and those in training, the distribution will be:

• One day in the first period of September or in the period after the end of classes.
• One day during the school term.
• Four days on the remaining non-teaching working days of the school year. This last point hides something crucial. Non-teaching working days are the Christmas and Easter holidays and July. All of these are periods when teachers are...and facton vacation.

In the case of members of management teams, the distribution is different: they will be able to take three days off during the September school term or after the end of classes, and three more days on the remaining non-school days.

STEI voted against the resolution and explains its position. The union is in favor of recognizing this right, but not how the days are distributed. "It's a complete mockery. We cannot accept it because, on the one hand, we consider both the first and last days of the school year to be essential time for preparing and concluding the course; on the other hand, we believe that days for personal matters should be available throughout the entire school year," explain sources from the union, who also consider it "laughable."

UOB is also critical of the Education proposal. The union has asked the Ministry to establish paid personal days for teachers "without arbitrary restrictions or absurd impositions." Furthermore, it encourages teachers to request the six days of leave they are entitled to each academic year, as stipulated by the Basic Statute of Public Employment (EBEP), and calls on school management teams to accept these requests. "It's time for teachers to unite against a Ministry of Education that disregards them; for working conditions to improve significantly; it's time to act," the union adds.

Limit on the number of days of leave taken in a single day

• The resolution also sets limits to prevent too many absences from occurring simultaneously, which could disrupt the school's operations and the proper attention given to students. During the beginning and end of the school year (before and after classes), the number of authorized absences cannot exceed 30% of the total number of teachers at the school or educational service on any given day. During the school year, the limits are stricter, with a maximum number of absences per day. This depends on the size of the school: Schools with up to 30 teachers: maximum 1 absence.
• Centers with between 31 and 60 teachers: 2 permits.
• Centers with between 61 and 90 teachers: 3 permits.
• Centers with more than 90 teachers: 4 permits.

Furthermore, certain days will not be considered working days for requesting this leave, such as days with faculty meetings, assessment sessions, and other organizational circumstances related to students' right to education. The resolution also specifies that days not used during the school year cannot be accumulated or carried over to subsequent years, nor will they generate any compensation.

How to request

Teachers must submit their request at least five business days in advance using the specific software provided by the Regional Ministry of Education and addressed to the principal of the school or educational service. If the leave is requested during the school term, the teacher must attach the schedule of activities planned for the student groups affected by their absence. When a teacher holds a position at more than one school, they must submit the request to all the principals of the schools where they work. The principal of the school or educational service is responsible for authorizing or denying the leave and must resolve the request using the same computer system. If the response is negative, a reasoned report justifying the decision must be issued. The decision must be communicated no later than the day before the leave begins. If there is no response within this timeframe, the request will be considered approved by administrative silence. Priority Order

When the number of requests for the same school day exceeds the established limit, a priority order will be applied to decide which ones are authorized.

The criteria will be, in this order:

1. Unforeseen situations, such as illness, hospitalization or death of relatives up to the second degree
2. Teachers who have enjoyed fewer days of leave during the school year
3. The order in which the application is received
4. Seniority at the center as a career civil servant
5. Seniority in the teaching staff
6. Trainee officials
7. The date of awarding the position
8. The letter of the DNI or NIE, in alphabetical order.