Madrid, April 17 – The indefinite strike by nursery school teachers in the Community of Madrid continues, now in its tenth day. Hundreds of educators from early childhood education centers (0-3 years) gathered on Thursday in Callao Square in the capital to protest their working conditions. The demonstration was organized by the Labor Platform of Nursery Schools (PLEI).
Demands for Dignity and Quality Education
The strike, which began on April 7, primarily seeks salary increases and a reduction in student-to-teacher ratios, aiming to align conditions with those stipulated by the LOMLOE educational law for other educational stages. Beatriz, one of the educators present at the concentration, emphasized the urgent need for change: “We need a bit of dignity for our sector. We are desperate, institutionally abandoned. We have been fighting for a long time for a bit of dignity, for fair wages, for ratios that are unmanageable. We are exhausted, and children need better conditions and to be left in the best hands.”
Overcrowded Classrooms and Deteriorating Infrastructure
Maricarmen, another worker in this educational stage, elaborated on the high ratios: “There are too many children per classroom; they cannot be adequately attended to.” Criticism of infrastructure is a common complaint: “They do not support the infrastructure in schools. We still have very few resources in very old schools, and the Administration does not provide anything. There are leaks, roofs that are falling apart, lack of paint, in addition to many other unaddressed needs, such as when staff are on sick leave: it takes a very long time to replace them.”
Sonia, also present at the demonstration, added, “We are invisible to the Administration because they do not consider us teaching staff, although by decree we now are.”
Criticism from the Ayuso Government and Teachers’ Response
On Thursday, the Minister of Education of the Ayuso Government, Mercedes Zarzalejo, questioned whether the left was “inciting” the workers to carry out a strike “that leads them to ruin.” According to Zarzalejo, left-wing parties are only “gaining political mileage at the expense of these professionals,” by only advocating for “mantras.”
Zarzalejo, who took office in February, replacing the dismissed Emilio Viciana, further stated, “Whether the school has the name of the Second Republic, whether it’s the discovery of sex at two years old, emotional mathematics with a gender perspective, no football in the playground because it’s sexist, no exams that foster inequality, away with the Snow White story because it’s sexist. This is their idea of educational quality.”
However, the demonstrators denied these assertions. Maricarmen criticized, “Ms. Ayuso supports private management schools and completely abandons public ones.” Beatriz highlighted the reduction in ratios and the implementation of educational partnerships by the city council led by Manuela Carmena, stating, “If it weren’t for her, we would still be in the same situation.” Sonia, for her part, criticized the “derisory” salaries in private schools.
Ongoing Struggle and Broader Implications
The teachers’ ongoing strike underscores a deeper struggle for recognition and adequate resources within the early childhood education sector in Madrid. Their demands for improved working conditions and better support for both educators and children reflect a broader call for investment in foundational education. The dispute highlights the tension between the administration’s financial constraints and the educators’ pursuit of professional dignity and quality education for young children.
The outcome of this strike will not only impact the working lives of hundreds of teachers but also the educational environment for thousands of young children in the Community of Madrid, shaping the future of early childhood education in the region.
Source: https://www.eldiario.es/madrid/profesoras-escuelas-infantiles-continuan-huelga-indefinida-madrid-invisibles-efectos-administracion_1_13149178.html
