The Association of Student Families (AFA) at El Pedró Institute, located in L'Escala, has sent a request to the Territorial Services of the Department of Education. The aim is to achieve an expansion of psychopedagogical support resources at the school and to extend this service to the Baccalaureate stage. According to the AFA, the role of the psychopedagogue is "essential for guaranteeing inclusive and quality education," as it provides academic, emotional, and personal support to students, particularly during adolescence.
Currently, two professionals are responsible for attending to over 600 ESO (Compulsory Secondary Education) students, a ratio that families consider insufficient for providing personalized and preventive care. Furthermore, they report that this support disappears when students reach Baccalaureate, a stage where many young people still require academic guidance and emotional support to make decisions about their future.
The center's team of pedagogues agrees on the importance of this role for the implementation of the Inclusive School Decree. This decree promotes the integration of students with learning difficulties into mainstream classrooms. The pedagogues point out that this model requires additional resources, as it involves not only attending to students but also supporting teachers, coordinating with other services, and fostering inclusion. They criticize that the decree has not been allocated sufficient financial resources, leaving guidance professionals with a crucial role but limited resources in schools.
The management of El Pedró Institute has expressed its concern and acknowledges the inadequacy of current resources. They note that this is a common demand in many institutes and that specific supports are often eliminated in Baccalaureate, despite the students' ongoing needs. Josep Maria Gayolà, territorial secretary in Girona for ASPEPC·SPS, has confirmed the union's general concern about the lack of resources, a situation being negotiated with the Department. The union has internally forwarded the request and advocates for strengthening the educational system with more specialist teaching staff.
Finally, the families of El Pedró Institute reiterate the urgency of expanding the guidance staff, reviewing student-to-professional ratios, and ensuring the continuity of the psychopedagogical service in Baccalaureate. They believe that emotional and educational support should be based on the real needs of young people, regardless of their educational stage.
