A total of 1,434 teachers have applied to participate in the competitive examination for teaching positions in the Balearic Islands, which will be held on May 9th and 10th. According to a statement from the Ministry of Education and Universities, 1,066 applicants have applied in Mallorca; 75 in Menorca; 281 in Ibiza; and a dozen in Formentera. These figures represent an increase compared to last year, when 1,290 applications were received.

The Professional Association of Teachers of the Balearic Islands has expressed its concern regarding the decision by the Ministry of Education to schedule the first exam in the teacher selection processes for May 9th and 10th, according to the resolution published on February 13th, and without prior agreement with the Sectoral Education Committee. The association believes that bringing forward the schedule could affect both the normal operation of schools and the guarantees of the selection process itself. Competitive examinations are regulated by Royal Decree 276/2007, most recently amended on February 5, 2026, which establishes the legal framework to guarantee the principles of merit, ability, and equality in access to the teaching profession. Despite the limitations of the current system, the Association reiterates that it remains the valid procedure for selecting the professionals who must perform an essential function within the public education service.

The UOB union has called for "non-compliance" by the examination boards for teacher recruitment exams in response to the Ministry of Education's intention to move the exams forward to May, an initiative the union describes as "absurd." In a statement, the union explained that this proposed "sabotage" arose after the organization's assembly voted overwhelmingly—with nearly 70% of the votes—to oppose the Ministry's proposed change to the exam schedule.

The Valencian Ministry of Education wants to move the 2026 teacher recruitment exams to May so that all vacancies are filled from the first day of the school year. According to the department, the change in schedule would allow the main administrative procedures, the allocation of positions, and processes related to substitute teachers to be concentrated in July, thus preventing the school year from starting with unfilled positions. The exams are expected to take place in early May, instead of June, as has been the norm until now. The Ministry argues that this reorganization of the schedule is based on planning and efficiency criteria and points out that other autonomous communities already hold their recruitment exams around similar dates. The Ministry also argues that bringing the exams forward will facilitate greater staff stability and better organization of schools in preparation for the start of the school year. However, the decision has been met with opposition from unions. Sources from the Independent, Autonomous, and Unitary Union (SIAU) denounce "the constant contempt shown by the Ministry of Education towards teachers, especially those preparing for competitive examinations and temporary teachers working illegally." The union criticizes the fact that the decision was communicated "with only a few months' notice and without any prior planning or dialogue," which, they claim, is "yet another example of improvisation, irresponsibility, and a complete lack of consideration for the educational community."

People who decide to apply for the teaching exams, both in the Balearic Islands and throughout Spain, must be willing to travel back in time. The reason is simple. The syllabus for the Early Childhood stage, for example, dates back to 1993 and includes a topic that, now, in the 21st century, and at a time when gender boundaries are increasingly invisible, would be controversial: "Sexual education in the early childhood stage. Discovery and identification with the same sex. Educational tools to avoid gender discrimination." Sources from the stage consulted by ARA Baleares assure that even when these syllabuses were developed, 32 years ago, the aforementioned section was obsolete. "I've been in Early Childhood all my life, and we've never worked with children on gender roles, for no reason," asserts a professional with more than 37 years of experience.