President of the Government of the Balearic Islands Marga Prohens has announced a new funding scheme to expand the “Open Schoolyards” initiative and extend the service throughout the school year from 2026-2027. The measure will enable schools to open their facilities in the afternoons and on Saturdays, providing families with additional resources to help balance work, personal and family responsibilities.
The funding scheme will have an initial budget of €1.3 million, with the possibility of increasing this amount by at least a further €300,000. The grants will be available to local councils and third-sector organisations to enable them to provide activities and services outside regular school hours in safe and accessible educational environments.
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President Prohens announces a new funding scheme to extend the “Open Schoolyards” initiative throughout the school year
The expansion marks a new stage for the “Open Schoolyards” programme, which was launched two years ago as part of the Balearic Islands’ work-life balance policies. Until now, the initiative has focused mainly on school holiday periods, providing children with spaces for play, social interaction and recreational activities while giving families additional options to manage their personal, family and professional responsibilities.
Under the new funding scheme, the service will also operate during the school year, with participating schools opening in the afternoons and on Saturdays. The initiative is being developed in collaboration with Palma City Council, with eight schools currently taking part in the programme.
The announcement was made during a visit to CEIP Jafudà Cresques in Palma. Prohens was accompanied by Palma Mayor Jaime Martínez; Minister for Employment, Public Administration and Social Dialogue Catalina Cabrer; Director General for Work-Life Balance and Equality in the Workplace Margalida Darder; and Director General for Families, Children, Youth, Diversity and Equality Cata Isern.
During the summer, the “Open Schoolyards” programme operates from 20 June to 9 September across eight schools. The general opening hours are from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., while some participating schools also open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Participation figures demonstrate the level of demand for the service among families. Nearly 11,000 children took part during the programme’s first year, while more than 2,106 children participated in July alone.
The schools currently participating in Palma are CEIP Cas Capiscol, Can Pastilla, Es Pont, Gabriel Vallseca, El Terreno, Jafudà Cresques, Joan Capó and Miquel Porcel. Throughout the summer, these schools open their facilities at different times during the afternoon and, in some cases, also on Saturdays.
Extending the programme throughout the 2026-2027 school year fulfils one of the commitments established under Law 3/2025 of 4 July on measures to support the reconciliation of personal, family and working life in the Balearic Islands. The initiative aims to strengthen year-round public resources and provide families with more options to combine childcare with their professional and personal responsibilities.