The Balearic Islands are the community that has created the most VET places since 2018, with an increase of 35%

The Recovery and Resilience Mechanism provides 47 million euros for educational improvement in the Balearic Islands during this academic year

TDB keeps you informed. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
President Armengol and the Minister of Education have met today at the Consolat de Mar
The Balearic Islands have received 47 million euros from the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism, which will be invested during this academic year to promote aspects related to the modernisation of the education system, inclusion, education from 0 to 3 years of age and vocational training, among others.

The President of the Government, Francina Armengol, accompanied by the Minister of Education and Vocational Training, Martí March, met today with the Minister of Education and Vocational Training, Pilar Alegría, to share these investments and to discuss the situation of education in the Balearic Islands.

The president thanked the minister for the Ministry’s sensitivity towards education in the Balearic Islands and reminded her that education has always been a priority for this Government and that the draft budget bill for next year includes 1,115 million euros for education, 44 percent more than what was allocated in 2015. As the president indicated, these 47 million euros from European resources “will serve to strengthen three pillars: digitalisation, which we have promoted a lot during the pandemic; the 0-3 education stage, which will allow us to create many more centres, and the commitment to vocational training”.

The minister, for her part, stressed the importance of visiting the Balearic Islands to get a closer look at the situation on the islands. Alegría highlighted the work done since 2015 to improve the education system in the Balearic Islands and confirmed the support of the central government to continue with this process. Specifically, the minister highlighted that the Balearic Islands “are the autonomous community that has created the most public vocational training places since 2018, with an increase of 35 percent”. Likewise, she also said that they are one of the territories that has maintained the support resources and the doubling of resources that were implemented during the pandemic.

The 47 million of the MRRF

Specifically, the investments to be made in the Balearic Islands through the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism will involve a total investment of 46,984,848 euros during the 2021/22 academic year. This investment will be distributed among the areas of digitalisation, creation and maintenance of 0-3 places, inclusive education, accreditation of professional competencies and increase in the supply of Vocational Training.

More specifically, these investments involve the acquisition of 5,000 digital classrooms, the distribution of 7,000 new devices (in addition to the 8,000 already distributed in the 2020/21 academic year), the reinforcement of IBSTEAM and the provision of digital training for thousands of teachers. They also facilitate the increase in the number of places in 0-3 education (1,700 new places are planned for 2024) and their maintenance, as well as the incorporation of 25 PTSC (social educators), the promotion of the recognition of professional experience and the promotion of digitalisation and entrepreneurship in the field of vocational training.

The specific reality of the Balearic Islands

Armengol also explained that the Balearic Islands are an autonomous community with a particular reality: “we are the only one with a growing school population,” she said, adding that “every year there are 2,000 new students, which means there is a need for greater investment”. For this reason, he called on the state government to be sensitive to the reality of the Balearic Islands, and stressed that progress has been made in this regard.

Martí March, for his part, highlighted the good work being done in schools, which despite the complications of having a very diverse and growing student body, has achieved a significant improvement in results. In fact, the Balearic Islands are at the national average in many of the educational indicators. “This was unthinkable at other times when cuts and instability made it impossible. There is still a long way to go, but it is only fair to recognise the good work done by the entire educational community,” said the minister.

Visits to different educational centres

Tomorrow the minister is scheduled to visit two special education centres: the Son Ferriol public centre and the Princesa de Asturias state-subsidised centre. The aim of the visit is to see first-hand the good work being done at the two centres from the perspective of inclusive education.