They warn that tourism prevents students from going on school trips to the Balearic Islands: "The price is prohibitive"

PalmThe territorial sections of the GOB have demanded urgent measures to guarantee a fair fare for school transport, given the growing cost of discretionary services which makes it increasingly difficult to carry out activities outside the classroom.

As they report, in recent years the price of coaches has skyrocketed to the point where the cost of transport can double or even triple that of educational activities. This situation has led many schools to reduce or eliminate school trips, a fact that, they warn, generates inequalities among students based on their economic capacity.

The organization reminds us that these activities are not a luxury, but an essential pedagogical tool that is part of the right to education with equal opportunities. For many children, they emphasize, excursions represent the only possibility to get to know the natural environment beyond their daily urban or domestic life.

The problem is particularly acute between April and September, coinciding with the high tourist season, when transport companies prioritize this sector. This imbalance, according to the GOB, has led to situations such as school groups not being picked up after an activity or schools having to cancel excursions due to lack of availability. Furthermore, they report that often the same companies impose schedules to optimize services, which reduces the time and quality of activities. From the environmental education departments, the GOB explains that it has been promoting environment discovery activities for years and that, whenever possible, it recommends the use of public transport or walking. Nevertheless, it warns that there are areas where access is only possible by private transport, especially in remote schools.

Faced with this situation, the entity is calling for a series of structural measures. Among these, the need to establish a regulated educational tariff with affordable maximum prices stands out; to guarantee a minimum quota of coaches for educational centers, especially during high season; and to create a protected calendar that ensures the availability of the service. They also propose direct public aid to offset the extra cost of transport, centralized contracting mechanisms to avoid speculative practices, and an improvement of public transport so that it becomes a real alternative for educational activities.

From an environmental perspective, GOB advocates for a more sustainable mobility model, based on proximity and less reliance on discretionary transport, with the aim of reducing pressure on the territory. Finally, the environmental organizations call for the involvement of the entire educational community —centers, families, and teachers— and request an urgent meeting with the administrations to implement these measures before the start of the next academic year. “Leaving school is learning to live in the world,” they conclude, warning that the price of transport cannot condition this right. The centers that have joined are the following:

• ADESMA (Association of Secondary School Principals of Mallorca)
• ADIPMA (Association of Directors of Early Childhood and Primary Education of Mallorca)
• ADIPME (Association of Directors of Early Childhood and Primary Education of Menorca)
• ADESME (Association of Secondary School Principals of Menorca)
• FAMPA (Federation of Associations of Parents and Mothers of Students of Menorca)
• COAPA Balears (Confederation of Associations of Parents and Mothers of Students of the Balearic Islands)
• FAPA Eivissa (Federation of Associations of Families of Eivissa)
• FAPA Mallorca (Federation of Associations of Families of Mallorca)
• ADIPEF (Association of Directors of Early Childhood and Primary Education of Ibiza and Formentera)
• ADESPI Pitiüses (Association of Secondary and Special Regime Directors of Eivissa and Formentera)
• Public Public Schools of Ibiza and Formentera
• UOB Education
• The Toy of Ciutadella
• AFA of CEIP Sa Garriga (Sant Lluís)
• CEIP Fornells
• APIMA of the Jugueta Ciutadella
• AFA of CEIP Maestro Durán of Alayor
• AFA CEIP Virgen del Toro de Ciutadella
• APIMA Virgen de Gracia de Mahón
• SIAU (Independent, Autonomous and Unitary Union)
• CEIP Guillem de Montgrí, Sant Antoni de Portmany
• CEIP Es Vedrà, Sant Josep de sa Talaia.
• CEIP Sant Jordi, Sant Josep de sa Talaia.
• CEIP Aina Moll (Palma)
• CEIP of Call Vermell (Fields)
• AFA CEIP Call Vermell (Campos)
• CEIP Ses Deveres (Caimari)
• CEIP Es Raiguer (Binissalem)
• CEIP Son Verí (s’Arenal)
• CEIP MONTAURA (Mancor del Valle)
• CEIP MESTRE GUILLEMET (Santa Eugenia)
• CEIP Es Cremat (Vilafranca de Bonany)
• Ceip Puig de na Fàtima (Puigpunyent)
• Camilo José Cela Public School (Palma)
• IES Porreres
• CEIP Cas Capiscol (Palma)
• CEIP Can Pastilla (Palma)
• CEIP PEDRA VIVA (Binissalem)
• CEIP inspector doctor comas camps (Alaior)
• IES Ramon Llull (Andratx)
• CEIP Xaloc (Peguera)
• STEI Union of workers INTERSINDICAL of the Balearic Islands
• AFA J.M.Quadrado High School (Ciutadella)
• AFA of Ceip Joan Benejam (Ciutadella)
• CC San Francisco de Asís de Ferreries
• Fort de l’Eau (Maó) Nursery School
• AFA CEIP Castillo de Santa Àgueda (Ferrerías)
• IES Cap de Llevant (Mahón)
• CEIP Francisco de Albranca (Migjorn Gran)
• AFA of Tramuntana (Mahón)
• Education Sector of the Union of Associated Labor Cooperatives (UCTAIB)
• CEIP Pere Bartomeu Pou (Algaida)
• Nou de sa Pobla Public School (sa Pobla)
• Naval School (Palma)
• CEIP Son Ferrer (Calvià)
• AMIPA CEIP Son Ferrer (Calvià)
• CEIP Jaime I (Palmanova)
• AFA CEIP Puig de na Fátima (Puigpunyent)
• Ramon Llull School (Santa María del Camí)
• CEIP Maestro Pere Grau (Manacor)
• CEIP Virgen de Lluc (Palma)
• CEIP sa Torre (Manacor)
• AFA CEIP sa Torre (Manacor)
• IES Santa Margalida
• CEIP Rosa de los Vientos (Colonia de San Pedro)