The mayor of Lleida, Fèlix Larrosa, accompanied by the Councilor for Education, Youth, and Employment, Xavi Blanco, participated in the commemoration event for the 50th anniversary of the municipal nursery school network. Larrosa emphasized that “celebrating 50 years of Municipal Nursery Schools is also celebrating a way of understanding the city: a Lleida that educates, that supports families, and that places children at the center of its policies”. He highlighted that “investing in early childhood is investing in equal opportunities, well-being, and the future of the city”.
The City Council maintains a firm commitment to education for ages 0 to 3 and to a quality, accessible, and inclusive public network. The Municipal Nursery School network in Lleida is consolidated, with specialized professionals and an educational project that serves as a benchmark. These 50 years allow us to look back with pride and continue improving to make Lleida an increasingly educational and child-friendly city.
Xavi Blanco explained that new resources have been incorporated to enhance personalized attention, such as the reduction of the maximum ratio for I2 (children aged 2-3) from 20 to 18 children per classroom starting from the 2025-2026 academic year, and the reinforcement of the psycho-pedagogical advisory service.
The first two educators, Assumpció Orteu and Neus Àvila, recalled the beginnings of the first school in Pardinyes. Eva, from the first cohort, shared the sense of family experienced, while her mother, Cayetana, highlighted the strength of the neighborhood movement in driving the school's establishment, with an initial fee of 500 pesetas.
The municipal nursery school network began in 1976 with the inauguration of the first school in the Pardinyes neighborhood, stemming from neighborhood demand. Initially managed by the community movement, the centers came under the Lleida City Council in 1985. Currently, the network comprises 16 Municipal Nursery Schools and 120 professionals (65 teachers and 55 early childhood education technicians), offering quality education for the 0-3 age group.
“"Investing in nursery schools is investing in equal opportunities, well-being, and the future of the city"
The commemoration included activities and games for children, snacks, solidarity stalls, experimentation proposals, the puppet show "Es ven germà petit" by the Centre de Titelles de Lleida, and a musical performance by Guillemot i els seus amics. The exhibition “50 years of photographs and memories” was also on display.
