Parents of students say government is failing to understand education crisis families are facing

After Education Director Onofre Ferrer said yesterday that the reuse of text books programme will no longer be permitted, a spokesperson for Coapa said that this means that families lose a saving of 200 euros a year for every child of school age. “It is clear that the government's priorities don't take into account the economic restrictions families are having to live under at the moment,” the spokesperson said. Coapa further claimed that it is evident that the government also places very little value on the commitment that parents have to make to ensure that school centres are operating properly and that the students have all they need for learning. “Parents do a great deal of unpaid work to make sure their children have a proper environment in which to study,” Coapa said.
The Confederation alleges that since the Partido Popular (PP) government came to power 10 months ago, it has been busy imposing its austerity measures and changes to the eduction system without consultation with families. “No consideration appears to be given to what affect these changes are having on children and society at large,” warned Coapa.

The Confederation said that PP President José Ramón Bauzá seems to be systematically ignoring protests by teaching staff, parents of pupils, education centre managers and schoolchildren themselves. “There is now serious doubt whether the government actually has the political will to establish a cross-party Education Pact that takes into account the needs of all those involved in the education process - whether providing teaching or receiving it,” said the spokesperson. “We would ask the government to show common sense and listen to us.”