Iñigo Urkullu has defended the executive-approved bill despite criticism from Elkarrekin Podemos-IU, PP+Cs and Vox, insisting that no “gap” has been created.
the lehendakari, Inigo Urkulluhas ensured that the project of the new education law has not produced a “gap”, and has expressed the hope that “no one hinders” its adoption final.
Urkullu responded this Friday during the plenary session of the Basque Parliament to questions from Elkarrekin Podemos-IU (EP-IU), PP+Cs and Grupo Mixto-Vox about the project of the new education law passed on April 25. by the autonomous government.
EP-IU spokesperson, Watch Gorrotxategi, has denounced the “economic gap” that this project is reportedly widening relative to the government’s budget projections. In addition, he has criticized the fact that over the past 10 years, public money allocated to educational agreements with private centers has increased by 25% in primary education and by 37% in ESO.
Urkullu has rejected that there is a “mismatch”, and has accused Gorrotxategi of comparing “pears to apples”. “The projections for when the education bill will be passed are one thing, and hopefully no one will give it a hard time this legislature; and another, very different, are the 2023 budgets, approved in December 2022.”
The Lehendakari recalled that this bill is based on the education pact reached last year by four parliamentary groups, including Elkarrekin Podemos itself. In this sense, he has emphasized that the project “loyally collects” what is stipulated in that pact and has reproached the purple coalition for “not making any contribution” in these 14 months and also, with regard to the amendment of the announced by the group leading Gorrotxategi, Urkullu criticizes it they have decided to stay awaywithout arguments and without reasons”.
For his part, Carlos Iturgaiz (PP+Cs) has denounced that this bill “confirmed the worst predictions”. “It is Bildu’s project, unaware of the real needs of education in the Basque Country,” he assured, then indicated that although the socialist representatives in the government “support the project”, the PSE-EE “criticizes it for electoral position”. Likewise, it has confirmed that this text has created a “hole” and “noise” in the political, trade union and educational fields.
“There’s No Gap”
The lehendakari recalled that the project has reached the Basque Parliament “after a long and enriching debate and reflection with the education community and with parliamentary groups”. According to Urkullu, “there is no gap at all because all these contributions and proposals are aimed at answering the future challenges of education in the Basque Country”.
In addition, he stressed that this year more than 98% of Basque families have opted for a bilingual education model in the Basque Country. “We live in a bilingual country and we want a youth fluent in both official languages and at least a third,” he stated, responding to PP+Cs’ criticism of the perceived “imposition” of Basque in the classroom.
Finally, the Vox MP, Amaia Martinezhas criticized the fact that the aim of the bill approved by the Basque government is “to put education at the service of building a chimerical Basque nation”.
In response, Urkullu recalled, referring to Franco’s dictatorship, that “unfortunately, our society has endured a profound ideologisation of education for forty years.” This ideologisation focused on “the construction of a unique thought that silenced those who thought otherwise”.
Source: EITB
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
