Catalonia launches summit to forge long-term education pact

Catalan President Salvador Illa has convened a summit with parliamentary groups to initiate a long-term educational pact aimed at addressing systemic crises and improving academic results. A primary goal of the proposed agreement is to reach a target investment of 6% of the regional GDP in education, a significant increase from the 4.05% recorded in 2024.

The summit follows recent controversies, including teacher protests and irregularities in the 2025 PISA tests that reportedly excluded 23.2% of the Catalan student sample, hindering international comparisons. Political reactions to the meeting have been mixed. While the government seeks a “pact of principles” with clear milestones and ten-year continuity, opposition parties like Junts and ERC have expressed skepticism. Junts described the meeting as “empty of content,” while ERC emphasized the need for a stable “country contract” that extends beyond the regional government.

Key demands from various political factions include restoring teacher authority, promoting meritocracy, and addressing linguistic immersion models. The government has also proposed creating working groups to establish a calendar for the 6% GDP investment goal and to monitor the ongoing educational debate.