The Platform in defense of public schools has called a rally for next May 16 and a campaign to collect signatures against the aid for private high school announced by the regional government, “deriving necessary financing for public education and … “that could be used to reduce ratios or improve dining rooms.”
As anticipated, the Minister of Education, Alberto Galiana, announced an aid of 800 euros per course for each student studying high school in private centers, estimating a total budget of 600,000 euros. The Platform in defense of public schools (made up of Alternativa Universitaria, CC OO, UGT, FAPA Rioja, STAR, STE-Rioja, IU and PSOE) has shown its “firm rejection” of this measure and called a demonstration for 16 May at 7:00 p.m. in front of the Government Palace.
“The high school check seeks to finance students in educational companies, while other requests are rejected by the ministry with the sole pretext that there is no money to face them,” explained Nieves Esteban, from UGT, spokesperson for the Platform.
The opposition to this Government measure is based on the “diversion” of funds “necessary for public education in Rioja.” For example, the 600,000 euros announced represent a third of the budget in aid for the canteen, while Nieves Esteban also claimed that “a much lower amount” would serve to grant the salary supplement to “the 68 vocational training teachers from singular sectors that do not have been integrated into Secondary School” or to “create more units” for the first cycle of Early Childhood in public centers.
“We demand that public education be promoted at any educational stage, including high school in public centers, investing that money in facilities, lowering ratios, attention to diversity and many other needs that Rioja centers deal with every day” , he explained. “There is enough supply in public centers to accommodate high school students,” Esteban added, recalling that the concerts arose “to support the students who could not attend public school.”
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