You call to rethink the C1, which is given “as a gift” at the end of ESO, and UGT criticizes the “unilateral” decision
Teachers are “overwhelmed” by the pandemic, by training and by work commissions
Restlessness and discomfort between the faculty after learning that from 2024 the Department of Education will require them to have a C2 level of Catalan to teach in Catalonia. The announcement was made by surprise by the Secretary for Educational Transformation of the ‘ministry’, Núria Mora, during a telematic meeting with the directors of educational centers. Until now, having level C2 was not a requirement, but rather a merit. Until now, C1 was enough, a level that is automatically acquired at the end of the 4th year of ESO.
The Catalan Education Law (LEC) already provides that all teachers must have the C2 of Catalan, but this point was appealed and was repealed. Recently, the justice ruled the legality of the measure. And now, Educació has decided to demand it as an essential requirement. blackberry wanted reassure teachers, assuring them that Educació will facilitate the test access diverse so that they can certify their knowledge of the Catalan language. And he urged the directors to “promote” that their teams take out the C2.
The news has fallen like a bomb among teachers, who are currently “overwhelmed” by the pandemic. In the telematic meeting, many of them expressed complaints about the Workload that they have with covid, training or various commissions -among them the plan to increase the use of Catalan among teachers- that leave them practically without hours for educational tasks. And on the horizon, the execution of the new primary, ESO and high school curricula starting next year 22/23.
Rethink the “gift” of C1
Iolanda Segura, from the Ustec teachers’ union, admits that “Catalan has suffered a degradation”, but questions whether this can be fixed by demanding a higher level from teachers. “We have to discuss it, but perhaps what doesn’t make sense is giving the C1 as a gift when finishing ESO, when before that level was obtained at the end of the university degree. The level of C1 was then higher. That should be reversed, rather than demanding a new degree,” Segura pointed out. In any case, from this union they hope that this requirement “does not entail more workload for teachers” and that the courses to obtain the C2 “are free”. Segura has asked Educació not to lose sight of “what is really worrying”: the use of Catalan in schools.”The language is lost when you don’t use it. This is the most important point,” insists Segura.
Fear in VET
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More forceful are from UGTwhere are they “totally against” to demand the C2. Jesus Martin has criticized that Educació has changed “unilaterally” the conditions of access to the teacher. “We don’t think C2 is necessary and we think this ad is to sell smoke and divert attention of the mismanagement of the department,” pointed out Martín. This union calls on the Administration to “open a process of negotiation seriously with workers to address access to the teaching public function”.
In the industry of Vocational training, the new C2 requirement is viewed with particular concern because it will make it extra difficult to find teachers in certain specialties. “If with C1 we don’t have FP or STEAM teachers, with the current proposal we won’t have any more. There is a lack of teachers,” commented an attendee at the meeting.