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Examining Education In Spain

in focusThe Barcelona Centre for International Affairs Brief

APRIL2013

08Since 1970, Spain has approved 11 laws on education. Almost every government has drafted its own education law, without ever achieving consensus with the opposition on the reforms needed. One typical point of discussion has been the role that religion should have in schools. It became a subject for exam in 2002 under the Conservative Popular Party and was replaced by the subject “Education for Citizenship” by the So-cialist Party in 2006. Back in power, the current PP government reform abolishes “Edu-cation for Citizenship”.

Graph 1. National Regulations on Education (1970-2013)

General EducationProfessional

TrainingUniversity

1970 Law of General Education (LGE)

1978 Spanish Constitution

1979 Goverment of Union of Democratic

Center (UCD)

1980 Organic Law Regulating School Statutes (LOECE)

1982 Goverment of Socialsit Party

(PSOE)

1983 Organic Act on University Reform (LRU)

1985 Organic Law on the Right to Education (LODE)

1990Organic Act on General

organization of the Educational System (LOGSE)

1995Organic Law on Participation and

Administration of Educational Establishments (LOPEG)

1996 Government of Popular Party

(PP)

2000

2002 Organic Act on the Quality of Education (LOCE) *

Organic Law on Qualifications

Organic Law of Universities (LOU)

2004 Goverment of Socialsit Party

(PSOE)

2006 Organic Law o f Education (LOE)**

2007

Organic Law modifying the Organic Law on

Universities (LOMLOU- Bologna Space)

20102011

Government of Popular Party

(PP)

* Not implemented** Attempt of state pact on education not satisfactorySources: Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport, and www.publico.es Produced by CIDOB

Modified by

Repealed by

Fitted by

Education compulsory up until 14 years old

Education compulsory up until 16 years old

The law states the subject of religion as valuable and computable to all the academic effects

The law incorporates the subject of Education for citizenship

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The high degree of decentralization of the Spanish education system (transferred to the Autonomous Communities) could explain the big differences amongst them. As a con-tribution to the deficit reduction targets for Spain, the Autonomous Communities have undertaken severe cuts in public spending on Education, affecting mostly salaries and per-sonnel costs. Castile La Mancha is at the top of the list, with a decrease of nearly 30% in its education budget for the period 2010-2013. On the opposite side, the Basque Country is the Community with the lowest budget reduction (3.74%), though it is the Community that spends more per student (10,695€), almost double than Andalusia (5,311€)

Graph 2. Disparities in Regional Expenditure

25 to 30% 10 to 15%20 to 25% 5 to 10%15 to 20% 0 to 5%

* Secondary compulsory and/or Spanish Baccalaureate and/or Professional training Education.Source: Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport, Ministry of the Finance and Public AdministationsProduced by CIDOB

Expenditure per public student (2010, euros)

Cut on regional budget for education (2010-2013)

TOTAL SPAIN

6,433 € per public student

% Reduction of teachers (2008-2011)*

Cut on Education budget (2010-2013)

Cantabria7,549

Basque Country10,695

Navarre8,461

Catalonia6,444

Aragon6,496

Valencia6,441

Madrid5,536

Canary Islands5,822

Castile-La Mancha6,337

Castile-Leon7,406

La Rioja7,027

Galicia7,615

Asturias7,971

Andalusia5,311

Extremadura6,490

Murcia6,147

Balearic Islands7,223

Galicia Navarra Balearic Islands

Asturias Castile-Leon

Castile-La Mancha Extremadura

CataloniaBasque Country

AndalusiaCanary IslandsValencia

Aragon Cantabria

MadridMurcia

La Rioja

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

A descentralized competence. Year of Assumption

1.6

0.3

-3.5

-6.2

0.7

-2.0 0.9

6.8

1.9

6.7

-0.1

-0.3

3.6

5.3

-1.2

-4.8

1.1

-10.3

-13,9%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

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90,00080,00070,00060,00050,00040,00030,00020,00010,000

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Public schools receive 67% of the students enrolled in primary and secondary compul-sory education, while semi-private education gets 29%, and private centres’ 4%. Reli-gious centres get 64% of students in semi-private and private education.

Graph 3. Share of students according to the ownership of the centre. Primary and secondary education (2009/2010)

According to data provided by the Catholic Schools Association, in the academic year 2011-2012, 1,434,524 students attended Catholic centres in Spain. Religious orders are present at all levels of education, mostly in primary and compulsory secondary education.

In primary education, more than 90% of the religious centres are semi-private (partially funded by the State). That differs from secondary education, where more than 50% are totally private. The first five orders are responsible for the education of 22% of all students attending to Catholic schools. These religious orders have a global presence (the first five are present in at least 80 countries). In Spain, the Salesians are the first religious in number of students, with 79,011 in 97 centres (6%). The Charity Daughters of Saint Paul Vincent come second, with 68.755 students in 171 centres (5%). The Brothers of Christians Schools - La Salle have 67,399 students in 101 centres are third. Then come the Marist Brothers (51 centres), the Scolapians (54 centres). The Jesuits teach 49,269 students in 38 centres located basically in main cities.

Public

66.8 3.9

Semi-private

29.3

Religious Centres21.4

Private

Source: Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport, National Institute of Statistics (INE)Produced by CIDOB

Source: Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport, National Institute of Statistics (INE)Produced by CIDOB

Graph 4. 10 Main Religious Institutions in Education (by number of students, 2011)

79,011

68,755 67,399

51,782 50,042 49,269

31,204 30,22522,063 19,250

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According to the last published PISA report (OECD, 2009), Spanish students’ performance tails far behind that of its European neighbours in reading, mathematics and science skills. This can be explained by many factors, not all attributable to the school system, but rather to external factors such as the level of education of parents and other socio-economic factors –which also explain the many differences between Spanish Regions in the PISA report.

Graph 5: Student Performance in Europe: How efficient is the system?

Source: PISA Report, 2009Produced by CIDOB

Performance in Reading (Selected countries and Spanish regions)

Performance in Mathematics

Performance in Science

700

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500

400

300

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100

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Japa

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Sources: (1) Ministry of Education, 2009-2010; (2) EUROSTAT: Early leaving, 2012); (3) ODCE Education at Glance, 2011; (4) PISA Report 2009; (5) CIS Opinion Barometer, February 2013Produced by CIDOB

Even though the system’s performance is good in some aspects (it has actually raised the average student performance level and has contributed significantly to social equity), there are many others that should be addressed urgently: the high level of early leaving (double the EU average), very long workdays, little interaction, a disconnection from the professional world, the fact students can repeat courses many times, and the quality and motivation of teachers (school directors have almost no margin for selecting their own professors).

Graph 6. Picturing a topical High School Class (Selected countries and Spanish regions)

Students

24.9% will leave its studies before upper secondary. That’s the highest rate in EU-27 (2) Portugal 20.8%

EU Average 12.8%

Poland 5.7%

Slovenia 4.4%

The national target is to reduce early leaving to 15% in 2020But if they quit studies before finishing upper secondary, their average income will be of 0.8 (men) and 0.67 (women) of the National mean. If they finish tertiary, their average income would be 1.36 and 1.19 respectively. (3)

13.4% of students in secondary would prefer to work (2012) (2). That’s more than double the aver-age of the EUItaly 8.5%

Portugal 7.9%

Average Euro Area 6.2%

The Teacher

Teacher Average Annual Labour Cost (3) (2008, PPP Adjusted, dollars) Ireland 32,908

Netherlands 29,228

United Kingdom 27,594

Finland 23,864

Spain 21,311

France 20,162

Portugal 14,899

The qualification demanded for gaining access to teaching studies in Spain in the mid-low range. This favours the existence of two different profiles: one that is entirely vocational and would have chosen to teach in any case, and a second one, is more based on the easy access to university studies and has not an specific motivation to teach. In Spain, teachers earn more than the average of those with tertiary studies (3). University professors are well apprecia-ted in opinion polls (75.16 over 100), and qualify in second place right after the doctors. Surprisingly, just 11% of them would recommend their son to become one. (5). Only 1 in 10 Spaniards thinks that the public image of teachers has improved in the last ten years. 6 in 10 think that their public image is now worse. Another 6 in 10 think that they are low or not moti-vated at all. The main reasons attributed to this lack of motivation are the current crisis and the budget cuts (19%) and the lack of respect from students (5).

The School/Centre

Spain is one of the countries in the world where the centre has less autonomy to hire its teachers:

Share of centres that hire their own teachers (4)

United Kingdom 100%Netherlands 100%Finland 75%Portugal 70%Italy 15%Spain <5%Greece <5%

The average ratio in primary edu-cation is 13 students per teacher (1), which is not bad compared with other countries

United Kingdom 19France 18Germany 17Finland 14Portugal 11

The average ratio in secondary education is 10 students per teacher (1)

United Kingdom 16Germany 14Finland 13France 12Portugal 8

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In 2013, and due to the budgetary crisis, many universities in Spain have raised their fees dramatically. From a three year perspective, the highest increase has occurred in Catalonia (74%), Castile-Leon (51%), Canary Islands (47%), Madrid (45%) and Valencia (43%). The increase has been much lower in Galicia (4%), Asturias (5%), and Extrema-dura and the Basque Country (6%).

Graph 7. Tertiary education in Spain. The map of the Universities

Source: National Institute of Statistics (INE)Produced by CIDOB

70 to 8060 to 7050 to 6040 to 5030 to 4020 to 3010 to 200 to 10

Private Public

% of Price Increase (Average Tertiary Studies, 2010-2013)

ANDALUSIA 164,233 StudentsPublic 97%

ARAGON 20,575 StudentsPublic 90%

ASTURIAS17,788 Students

Public 91%

BALEARIC ISLANDS7,215 Students

Public 94%CANARY ISLANDS 46,768 StudentsPublic 99%

CANTABRIA7,269 StudentsPublic 97%

MADRID 146,499 StudentsPublic 77%

CASTILE-LA MANCHA 13,490 StudentsPublic 100%

MURCIA 5,943 StudentsPublic 69%

VALENCIA 106,654 StudentsPublic 90%

CATALONIA 96,538 StudentsPublic 83%

CASTILE-LEON55,582 Students

Public 90%

BASQUE COUNTRY 39,028 StudentsPublic 81%

LA RIOJA 4,037 StudentsPublic 92%

NAVARRE 9,836 StudentsPublic 52%

GALICIA 42,753 StudentsPublic 96%

EXTREMADURA13,518 Students

Public 99%

ONLINE UNIVERSITY 99,133 StudentsPublic 74%