On Catalonia’s first school day, classrooms sweltered in the heatwave as strikes disrupted classes and Pisa test results were invalidated; many schools were still waiting for promised ventilators. The Asamblea Educativa de Cataluña called the strike. The group is often linked to the CGT, though it claims independence. Even the major union Ustec questioned the timing, expecting larger protests later in the month.
The government asked unions to hold off on industrial action, but tensions between educators and the Department of Education remain unresolved. President Salvador Illa and Education Minister Esther Niubó urged unions to respect students’ right to education and offered to negotiate on resources and reforms. Their appeals did not prevent disruption on the first day of the school year. Reports in ABC and El País described growing pressure from teachers and parents as the strike coincided with ongoing problems in school infrastructure and testing.
The Pisa test controversy added to the unrest. A major error in administering the international assessment forced authorities to void Catalonia’s results, raising doubts about the region’s education leadership. The Department of Education now faces union discontent and public criticism over its handling of testing and basic facilities. Information from El País, the Ministry of Education acknowledged the sampling error only in spring 2026, after concerns were raised in March, confirming that the results could not be used for comparison. The OECD confirmed that Catalonia’s Pisa results will be published with a warning that they are not valid for international comparison. ABC reported that the sampling error affected only the Catalan cohort: 23.2% of students were excluded from the sample, far above the OECD’s 5% threshold. Spain’s national Pisa results remain valid and unaffected by the Catalan issue.
Ventilation remains a problem. The government pledged €20 million to install fans in 400 schools over the summer, but only 228 schools received wall and ceiling units, with just €5.5 million spent so far. Many classrooms opened with no relief from the heat, echoing the record-breaking temperatures recently seen in Barcelona, as previous coverage reported. Spanish media have linked the lack of cooling to growing public frustration, especially as the promised upgrades were not ready for the start of the school year.
Meanwhile, student numbers are falling. This year, compulsory education enrollments dropped to 932,543, while the total across all levels reached 1.31 million, down 50,000 and 25,000, respectively, compared with three years ago. Staff numbers, but, have jumped: 94,422 education workers are now on the payroll, up from 81,335 last year. That total includes 1,103 new teachers and 531 support staff, with another 196 administrators. These increases follow recent agreements with the CC OO and UGT unions, as well as Secondary Teachers unions. The agreements also brought a €110 monthly pay rise and a €50 bonus for teachers on school trips.
Inclusive education is another focus. The government is expanding early detection programs for learning difficulties to fifth grade and assigning nursing staff to half of all schools. Three new bilingual sign language centers are opening, alongside 204 additional special education places. A pilot project in three Barcelona municipalities will provide extra clerical support to reduce paperwork for school leaders.
For newly arrived foreign students, 500 new welcome classrooms have been created, bringing the total to 2,141. Intensive support rooms have increased from 27 to 45, and nursery places are up by 582. No major changes are planned for teaching methods; existing reading and math improvement programs will continue as before.
Artificial intelligence is also under review. The Department of Education plans to restrict AI use for students under 14 and require parental consent for those aged 14 to 18. Oral presentations will become mandatory for final research projects to check students’ knowledge, with detailed guidelines on AI use expected this term.
Four new schools and three expanded institutes are opening, with six more under construction. Still, the government’s failure to deliver on basic promises, such as adequate cooling, has left many families and staff doubtful. The increase in staff and small reforms may buy time, but the Pisa scandal and ongoing labor unrest have damaged trust. Catalonia’s education authorities now face pressure to deliver real solutions as the school year gets underway.
