Spanish teacher unions demand lower student-teacher ratios

Teacher unions in Spain are calling for improvements to educational conditions, specifically focusing on reducing student-teacher ratios and increasing staff stability.

In León, the Junta de Personal Docente has noted a decade of reductions in public school ratios but argues that further decreases are necessary, particularly in urban areas and Secondary Education (ESO). Javier Ampudia, president of the group, stated that while rural areas face challenges, urban classrooms in León, Ponferrada, and Astorga often reach 30 students per unit. He criticized the current implementation timeline, which extends to 2032, labeling it as arriving too late.

In Melilla, the Federación de Enseñanza de USO (Feuso) is reviewing the start of the school year for over 15,000 students. While acknowledging the addition of new teachers and the use of co-teaching, the union is demanding a reduction in temporary contracts and better salary recovery. Feuso also highlighted the need to lower ratios in ESO and Bachillerato, expand co-teaching beyond core subjects, and improve resources such as laboratories, workshops, and nursing staff.