Spanish public schools are facing growing concern as teachers increasingly report that their job is turning into an endless battle with paperwork. Forms, reports, protocols—it seems every step a teacher takes must be documented. This is no longer just an annoyance; it creates a sense of absolute distrust from the system. Teachers admit that instead of preparing lessons and working with students, they spend hours filling out documents that rarely bring any real benefit.
Nearly one in two teachers say the bureaucratic burden is suffocating. According to surveys, 96% of educators believe paperwork takes away time needed for proper lesson planning and student engagement. Nine out of ten feel cornered. Schools are filled with suspicion, as if no one can fulfill their duties responsibly without constant checks and reports.
A crisis of trust
The problem is not just the volume of paperwork. It points to a much deeper crisis—the erosion of trust in teachers’ professionalism. The more documents required, the stronger the feeling that educators have to prove their competence at every step. As a result, instead of focusing on real teaching, teachers are forced to demonstrate their worth through endless reporting. This undermines motivation and damages the atmosphere among staff.
Instead of serving as a tool for improving work, documentation becomes an end in itself. Schools cultivate a culture of ‘prove everything,’ where the number of completed forms matters more than results. Real pedagogy fades into the background, while paperwork takes center stage. In such an environment, even the most experienced teachers begin to question the meaning of their work.
The Digital Trap
In recent years, schools have been actively implementing digital platforms and new regulations. Technology seems like it should make life easier, but in practice it often complicates things further. New systems appear, demanding even more time to learn and fill out. School administrators admit they feel like hostages of a system where every decision must be backed by a dozen documents.
Instead of real change in the education process, teachers face a torrent of new requirements. Time is spent trying to meet formal criteria rather than working with children. As a result, paperwork becomes not just an annoyance, but a real threat to education quality.
Attempts at Reform
In response to growing discontent, authorities have begun taking steps to reduce bureaucracy. Some regions are drafting plans to streamline procedures, eliminate unnecessary stages, and integrate platforms. However, these measures have yet to fully resolve the issue. Most teachers and principals believe more radical changes are needed, with clear guidelines on which documents are truly required and which can be safely discarded.
Educators are calling not just for technical adjustments, but for a fundamental change in the logic of oversight. They want support and trust instead of constant surveillance. They want attention to real work in the classroom rather than endless paperwork. This is the only way to restore respect for the profession and breathe new life into schools.
Staffing challenges
One of the main problems is the shortage of administrative staff, which is particularly acute in elementary schools. School leaders are forced to take on tasks far removed from teaching and spend hours on routine paperwork. Without additional support, any reforms risk remaining only on paper.
Freeing schools from unnecessary bureaucracy would have a twofold benefit: it would reduce teacher burnout and allow them to focus on what matters most—the development of students. It’s important not to abandon oversight altogether, but to clearly distinguish between what truly protects children’s rights and what merely wastes time.
A matter of trust
Ultimately, it all comes down to trust. If teachers continue to be treated as suspects, the paperwork will only increase. But if the system starts relying on the professionalism of educators, demanding only what is necessary and providing real support, bureaucracy will no longer be an enemy of education. Then schools will be able to return to their main mission: teaching, nurturing, and shaping citizens.
