News
The Catalan Ombudsman recommends a new plan for greater public preschool capacity and improved access conditions
Catalan Ombudsman, Rafael Ribó, and the Deputy for the Defence of Children's Rights, Xavier Bonal, made this proposal at the presentation of the special report "School Enrolment for Children 0 to 3 in Catalonia", which they delivered to the President of the Catalan Parliament, Ernest Benach.The Síndic (Ombudsman) is also proposing a minimum mandatory public school capacity for children 0 to 3 years of age.
The Catalan Ombudsman Rafael Ribó, has recommended the definition of a new plan for the creation of public nursery school capacity for the 2008-2012 period that ensures the continuity of the plan now in force, and sets school enrolment goals higher than present levels (30% for municipalities of up to 20,000 inhabitants; 25% for municipalities of 20,000 to 50,000 and 20% for municipalities of over 50,000 inhabitants). The Ombudsman has also suggested a mandatory minimum public preschool and nursery school capacity to overcome the current shortage. Despite the plan launched by the Catalan Government (and still in force) to create capacity for 30,000 students during the 2004-2008 period, the demand for nursery and preschool is still higher than the available supply. There is no sign this trend will change in the short term, given certain indicators such as the rise in birth rates and higher female employment levels.Contrary to the first plan, the new plan should take the real data on current unmet demand into consideration. Acknowledgement of the unmet demand is important to plan the capacity offering and involve the administrations competent in the management of existing needs.
The need to improve access conditions
The report discusses certain social inequalities in the access to education. It shows that children from families with stronger cultural and economic backgrounds attend school in higher numbers. The lack of public capacity and the cost of nursery schools are the reasons behind these inequalities.
