The president of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, meets this Friday with all parliamentary groups, except Vox, to discuss measures that will raise academic standards. The aim is to have a consensual roadmap by April.
The president of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, has summoned all opposition groups this Friday, except Vox, to begin defining measures that should reverse the situation of the Catalan educational system. The meeting, held at the Palau de la Generalitat, aims to agree on a roadmap with concrete proposals, a timeline, and an allocated budget, as El Periódico has learned.
The meeting comes after Illa's appearance in the Parlament on Wednesday, where the opposition described the Govern's educational management as a "disaster" following poor results in the PISA tests. For the first time, Aliança Catalana will participate in a meeting of this kind, having previously rejected all invitations to the Palau.
Each party will bring its own proposals, but the challenge is to reach a minimum common denominator. The debate will be led by the president of the Education Council of Catalunya (CEC), Joan Manuel del Pozo, and will be opened to the entire educational community through territorial forums. The ultimate goal is a national pact that secures the system for the next decade.
In the days leading up to the meeting, Illa has already put forward some ideas that will be discussed, such as enhancing reading in classrooms and reducing screen time. The Minister of Education, Esther Niubó, has proposed reinstating mandatory readings in Bachillerato for the 2027-2028 academic year, three years after their removal, and has urged schools to implement them from 5th grade. There is also a proposal to return to paper and pen and to strengthen mental arithmetic.
The president's intention is for this debate to take place independently of the tensions that unions like Ustec and CGT have with the Department of Education. The government wants to demonstrate that, beyond the crisis with teachers, it has taken the reins to improve the climate in schools within five years and to raise academic results, putting the discussion about salary conditions in the background.
Additionally, Illa has promised to allocate 6% of GDP to education, a measure aimed at easing tensions with the sector. This Friday's meeting is just the starting point of a process that should culminate in April with a broad agreement.
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