Catholic schools in Spain call for respect of freedom of education

CHURCH

Catholic schools in Spain appeal for respect of the right to freedom of education in the face of education reforms that they are concerned will make private schools 鈥渟ubsidiary鈥� to public schools.

By SA国际传媒

Spain鈥檚 Catholic schools are appealing to the government to ensure the right to freedom of education enshrined in the country鈥檚 legislation.

They made this appeal in the wake of the debates surrounding the new legislation on education approved by the Spanish government last March. The new law, also known as 鈥淟OMLOE鈥� (Ley Orgánica de Modificación de la LOE) is the organic act of modification of the LOE, the previous education law.

LOMLOE is a reform of the education system that addresses issues like early drop-out and grade repetition. However, it recommends that religious education no longer be compulsory for students in the first and second years of high school. Besides, marks obtained in religious education will no longer count for admission into universities or for obtaining scholarships.

In the place of religious instruction, education in civic and ethical values will be compulsory for all primary and secondary school students.

Appeal of Catholic schools

Expressing their concern, Spanish Catholic schools point out that the education reforms might 鈥渟tifle teaching in private schools, making it subsidiary to that of public schools.鈥�

To guarantee the right to freedom of education, the Catholic schools hold that 鈥渋t is necessary to devise 鈥渟ystems of public funding鈥� for private schools. This proposal rejoins the 12 June 2018 resolution of the European Parliament which encourages governments to 鈥減rovide adequate financial support for all schools - private and public, within the framework of inclusiveness and respect for freedom of educational choice.鈥�

Catholic schools insist that it is necessary to 鈥渙vercome differences and conflicts in order to achieve an educational pact that promotes complementarity of public and private systems.鈥�

They call for a 鈥渂road social debate鈥� that recognizes that diversity of schools 鈥渞eflects the plurality of European societies.鈥� The Catholic schools also point out that though public education in Spain is important, it should not be the only type of education available.