For the third consecutive academic year, Madrid has failed to launch the Colegios Compartidos program, which regional authorities had announced as a way to make extracurricular activities more accessible to all public school students. Despite promises to begin the project as early as 2024, the system has not started either last year or this academic year. As a result, thousands of families still cannot count on a broader selection of clubs and activities, and children lack access to the region’s best sports and creative facilities.
Promises versus reality
The idea behind Colegios Compartidos was to allow students to attend clubs and activities not only at their own school but also at other schools across Madrid. This was intended to make life easier for parents, help children from different neighborhoods get to know each other, and, most importantly, level the playing field for access to sports and the arts. However, as it turns out, the project remains in the stage of technical development and administrative approvals. In response to official inquiries, authorities admit that there is currently no list of participating schools, no catalog of activities, and no data on fundingβall of this will only be possible once the program is actually launched.
Reasons for the delay and response
The Madrid government cites the complexity of preparation and the need to coordinate details, but does not specify the exact reasons for the delay or announce a new launch date. Officials from the relevant department limit themselves to phrases like βtechnical designβ and βadministrative validation.β This has drawn criticism from the opposition. Lawmakers from PSOE and MΓ‘s Madrid point out that regional authorities regularly make loud announcements but fail to follow them up with real action and funding. In their opinion, the lack of a program primarily affects women and families who had been promised support in balancing work and childcare.
Context and expectations
The Colegios Compartidos program was presented as one of the main educational initiatives at the Madrid Assembly meeting in 2024. At that time, authorities promised that starting from the 2024/25 school year, children would be able to attend classes at other schools, making use of the regionβs best sports and music facilities. However, nearly two years after the announcement, the project has yet to make any progress. Now there is talk that the launch may be postponed until at least the 2026/27 school year, if all agreements can be finalized and the necessary funds allocated.
Problems with implementing large-scale initiatives in Madrid are nothing new. For example, authorities and businesses recently discussed the threat of jet fuel shortages at the regionβs airports, which also raised concerns among residents and the tourism sector. More about how the authorities respond to such challenges can be found in the article on risk of a fuel shortage for aviation this summer.
