The start of the school year in the Canary Islands once again brings to the table the numerous structural problems of the public education system, many of which have gone unresolved for decades and which, at present, have been aggravated by a series of economic, social and political factors. From the reduction in the number of teachers, to the high ratios in classrooms and the lack of sufficient resources, public education in the Canary Islands faces challenges that, ultimately, affect the quality of education and the well-being of our children and young people.
Faced with this situation, it is urgent that institutions assume their responsibility and work towards an inclusive, equitable and truly accessible education system. Here I will present some proposals that Nueva Canarias-Bloque Canarista in Lanzarote has made to improve public education on the island according to the deficiencies we have detected.
1. Reduction in the number of teachers: an unacceptable decision.
One of the most serious problems is the constant reduction of the teaching staff, a measure that seems to obey austerity criteria of the current conservative government of CC and PP, rather than a true educational planning. Instead of strengthening public education, it has been decided to cut human resources, which directly affects the quality of teaching. While it is true that the economic crisis has affected all areas, some teaching unions and political forces such as Nueva Canarias-Bloque Canarista have insisted on the need to reverse these cuts and move towards 5 percent in educational investment established by the Canary Islands Public Education Law. It is essential to invest in hiring more teachers, as education is a key tool to combat inequalities and build a more just and democratic society.
2. Insufficient counselors and specialists in special education.
The lack of specialized professionals in guidance and attention to diversity is another of the critical points of the Canary Islands education system. In an Autonomous Community where the school failure rate is one of the highest in the state, we cannot allow the most vulnerable students to be left without adequate attention. The presence of counselors and specialists in special education is essential to guarantee an inclusive and personalized education. From progressive Canarianism we defend a greater investment in these professional profiles, since only in this way can we guarantee equal opportunities for all students regardless of their particular conditions.
3. High ratios and attention to diversity: the challenge of inclusion.
The high number of students per classroom is a reality that hinders the work of teachers and directly affects the quality of teaching. It is not possible to provide individualized attention when classes are overcrowded, much less to adequately address the diversity existing in Lanzarote classrooms, where students with different educational, cultural and socioeconomic needs coexist. Reducing the ratios is a historical demand of the educational community, as this would allow for a closer, more inclusive education adapted to the needs of each student. In this sense, we must also insist on the opening of a greater number of enclave classrooms to prevent these students with special educational needs from having to move from one municipality to another in order to be schooled.
4. The shortage of public kindergartens and family reconciliation.
Another problem that has become urgent is the shortage of public nurseries and kindergartens on the island. This not only directly affects early education, but also affects families, especially those from working classes who cannot afford private education for their children. The lack of public places in early childhood education and the lack of flexibility of school schedules aggravate the already difficult family reconciliation. In this sense, the new law that makes education from 0 to 3 years public seems not to be fulfilling the objectives for which it was created, since there are very few educational centers where these classrooms of the first cycle of early childhood education have been opened. From a progressive perspective, it is essential to expand the network of public kindergartens dependent on the City Councils until they can be opened in the centers dependent on the Ministry of Education, not only as an educational measure but also as a key tool for gender equity and social justice.
5. School canteens: an unmet need.
School canteens are another of the fundamental pillars of the education system, especially in an autonomous region like the Canary Islands where child poverty rates are alarming. For many families, the school canteen represents a guarantee that their children will receive at least one nutritious meal a day. However, the number of places available in the canteens is insufficient and the problem is aggravated when we talk about Secondary Education students where in most institutes they do not even have school canteens. In this sense, it is urgent to guarantee the universalization of school canteens and ensure their free access for the most disadvantaged families in Lanzarote.
6. Reception of immigrant minors and intercultural inclusion.
The Canary Islands, due to its geographical location, is one of the main gateways to the European Union for unaccompanied migrant minors. The reception of these young people in the Canary Islands educational centers has been and is an important challenge that has not always received adequate support from public administrations. From the progressive Canary Islands forces we have defended an inclusive education system that does not discriminate against these minors because of their origin and that promotes interculturality as an essential value to build a better society. An adequate insertion in the education system must be guaranteed with specific resources and language learning and emotional support programs.
7. Defense of the Canary Islands identity and linguistic heritage.
Another aspect that deeply concerns us is the progressive loss of the Canary Islands speech and the elements that make up our cultural identity. Public education cannot be oblivious to this problem, since it has a crucial role in the transmission of cultural and linguistic heritage. It is essential that educational policies in the Canary Islands include specific programs for the protection and promotion of the Canary Islands language and culture, not only as a folkloric element, but as an essential part of the formative process and the construction of a collective identity as a people.
8. The price of books and the free education.
The high cost of textbooks and school supplies is an economic burden that many families in Lanzarote cannot bear. Although the Spanish Constitution guarantees free compulsory education, in practice, families must face a series of expenses that hinder equitable access to education. From Nueva Canarias-Bloque Canarista we defend the creation of book banks and the progressive implementation of a completely free education system, which does not exclude anyone for economic reasons. A fundamental right for everyone.
Only with a firm commitment to public education can we build a more just, supportive and inclusive Canary Islands, where all children have the same opportunities for the future regardless of their origin or social condition. The struggle for quality public education is, in short, a struggle for equality and social justice in our land.
Arminda Barreto is the island secretary of education of Nueva Canarias-Bloque Canarista in Lanzarote and spokesperson for the Local Committee in Tías.
