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Catalonia PISA scandal and education model probe

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2026-08-07 07:26 UTC → 2026-08-15 07:39 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Catalonia PISA scandal ~~sparks ministry~~ and education model probe

The technical sampling error that removed ~~23.2 %~~ 23.2% of Catalan pupils from the 2025 PISA sample has deepened into a political controversy. After the Generalitat delayed disclosure until late July, President Salvador Illa defended Education Minister Esther Niubo, while opposition parties and the Catalan Parliament called for her resignation and a parliamentary inquiry. Teachers’ groups AXIA and ~~USTEC‑STEs~~ USTEC-STEs argued the flaw destroys the credibility of regional education data, and the €1.5 million OECD diagnosis was deemed wasted. The OECD excluded Catalonia’s results from the international report in March 2026, limiting them to Spain’s national report. In late July 2026 the Catalan Department of Education confirmed that the 2025 results are statistically invalid and launched an internal investigation and a new Coordination Commission for evaluation studies. Union USTEC and opposition parties demanded an independent audit. The Spanish Ministry of Education had warned the region in April 2025 about the ~~23 %~~ 23% exemption rate, and the OECD’s decision to omit Catalonia’s data was reiterated on 20 April. On 26 July the ministry reiterated that the exclusion prevents any comparison with other autonomous communities. A further controversy emerged on 5 August when the department withdrew a provisional ~~staff‑transfer~~ staff-transfer list after a calculation error affected about 400 education workers. The Intersindical union cited systematic ~~merit‑scoring~~ merit-scoring problems and warned of recurring errors. The OECD added a methodological warning to Catalonia’s PISA data, reinforcing criticism of the regional administration’s handling of both assessment and personnel processes. Allegations have since surfaced regarding the “Illa” education model, with claims that Niubo manipulated PISA results to portray the model as successful. This has prompted a Spanish Ministry of Education inquiry and linked the controversy to internal political maneuvering involving PSOE politician Carlos Martínez.

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