The education sector in Catalonia has initiated a new series of strikes, with calls scheduled for May and June, to pressure the Government of the Generalitat. Negotiations between the main unions and the Department of Education are stalled, and tension has escalated following the infiltration of two Mossos d'Esquadra agents into a teachers' assembly.
The main demands focus on salary improvements, but the underlying problem is deeper. Education experts point out that the system is at a turning point, marked by increasing classroom complexity, which has transformed the role of professionals.
“"If the strikes do not end, it is because dissatisfaction persists, meaning the core issue has not been addressed."
This professor from Universitat Pompeu Fabra emphasizes the need for
“"brave and innovative measures to escape the mediocrity in which we are entrenched."
Current mobilizations differ from those of the past, which sought to consolidate the profession, oppose laws like the LEC, or fight against cuts. Now, the goal is to improve daily working conditions, according to a professor of education history at Universitat de Barcelona.
Inclusive schooling emerges as the main challenge, with one in three students in Catalonia having special needs in the 2025-2026 academic year. A former Secretary General of Educational Policies suggests that the solution involves injecting more resources into the centers that need them most, as
“"Any universal measure is an erroneous measure."
In addition to inclusion, excessive workload, high student-teacher ratios, and bureaucracy contribute to teacher dissatisfaction. This disillusionment is not exclusive to Catalonia but is observed in many OECD countries, where 27% of teachers consider leaving the profession, according to the TALIS 2024 report.
“"Tomorrow's problem will not be strikes, but finding teachers willing to stand in front of the blackboard."
Furthermore, the professional career path for teachers is considered too flat, and experts call for incentives to foster professional development, with a key role for veteran teachers in training newcomers. The solution, according to experts, involves increasing trust and autonomy for teachers, who are well-trained and respond with continuous evaluations.
In this context, a former Secretary General of Educational Policies encourages teachers to
“"not get discouraged and continue working on successful projects in their centers, while macropolitics clarifies."
