The Government wants to strangle the advisory body of the educational community: "It does so by night and with premeditation"

PalmThe Government intends to modify the functioning of the School Council of the Balearic Islands (CEIB) without informing it beforehand. The CEIB, the highest body for participation of the educational community of the Balearic Islands, has rejected proposals from the Executive on various occasions. The change is to be introduced through an amendment to the decree-law that accelerates strategic projects for the economic transformation of the Balearic Islands, despite the decree having no relation to the educational advisory function. The objective is to reduce the CEIB's deadlines for issuing reports, a key process for it to analyze and contribute to the regulations and projects of the Ministry of Education. Despite the fact that, usually, most content proposals are dismissed and those of a formal nature are the ones that end up being incorporated.

Currently, ordinary reports have a maximum period of 60 business days from the receipt of the request and the rapporteur has up to 40 business days to review all documentation, prepare the report and submit it to the president of the CEIB. Subsequently, the permanent commission and the plenary review the report before final approval. The urgent procedure, reserved for exceptional cases, allows reports to be processed in a maximum of 20 business days, with a period of one month for the issuance of the report.

The task of the CEIB is demanding, because the reports involve reviewing all documentation point by point, discussing contributions with all the counselors, and ensuring that the final report reflects a solid consensus on the educational policy of the Balearic Islands. Some counselors recall marathon processing, such as the inclusive education decree promoted by the Pact government and which the Ministry of Education of Antoni Vera kept in a drawer to create its own regulations.

The popular amendment establishes shorter deadlines: the CEIB should resolve any consultation within one month, while the deadlines for specific cases would be 30 working days. These cases include draft bills that the Government presents to the Parliament, draft decrees and orders on educational matters, and general regulations on school constructions and equipment. In the case of urgent reports, the deadline would be reduced to 15 working days, although in situations of special complexity, an extension could be requested from the competent minister. If the amendment passes the cut and is approved, the CEIB will have three months from the entry into force of Article 6 bis to adapt its internal regulations to these new deadlines.

Response is being prepared

The CEIB's reactions have not been long in coming. Authoritative sources from the body have expressed their criticism forcefully: “They do it with secrecy and malice aforethought, without informing us and without any prior consultation. We are now undertaking legal consultations, because we consider that this modification should have gone through the CEIB. What they are modifying is an education law and, for this reason, it must go through the CEIB and have the corresponding mandatory report”. Furthermore, they add that “it is shameful, because they are acting behind the backs of the educational community, with an attitude of total disregard for our work. They do not believe in participation. They intend to do what they want without allowing for effective participation”. It should be recalled the interview of the president of the CEIB, Pepita Costa, with ARA Balears: "The Ministry is making educational policy without listening to the educational community and it is a problem", she pointed out.

Specialists and regular members of the CEIB point out that current deadlines are already tight, because the rapporteurs must review all documentation, agree on contributions with the rest of the councilors, and prepare a complete report. Reducing these time margins could put pressure on the depth and quality of the reviews, although the text allows for exceptions in complex cases.