An Alarming Reality for Professional Education
With just a few days to go before the start of the new academic year, a total of 31,404 students who had applied for a place in vocational training (VET) are without an allocation in their preferred options. This information has been revealed by El Periódico and confirmed by sources from the Department of Education, highlighting a structural problem in the education system.
Reaction of the Minister of Education
Esther Niubó, the new Minister of Education, has expressed her apologies through social networks, acknowledging the seriousness of the situation. He stressed that vocational training is a priority for the government and pledged to implement measures to prevent incidents like this from happening again in the future.
Commitments for the Future
Niubó has announced the intention to establish a direct dialogue with the different agents involved to speed up the process of allocating places, with the aim of ensuring that students do not have to wait until the beginning of the year to enroll.
Data Revealing a Worrying Trend
Data provided by the Department indicates that, out of a total of 46,769 applications for a higher degree, only 31,837 places have been allocated, leaving 14,932 students without an option. As for the average grade, out of 53,703 requests, 37,231 have been awarded, with a total of 16,472 students in the same unprotected situation.
A Hope for a Solution
The affected students hope that the second phase of registrations, scheduled between September 2 and 6, will offer them an opportunity to access the vacant places, which amount to 10,384. Of these, 4,838 correspond to an average degree and 5,546 to a higher degree.
A Repeating Pattern
The distressing situation is not new. Last year, in the same period, there were 22,000 students without an assigned place. As the start date approached, the number of unallocated students had decreased to 1,800, although vacant places stood at 14,500.
Expectations for Next Generations
The Department’s efforts to manage applications have not been entirely transparent, and the total number of applications received has been a mystery until now. Education authorities face the challenge of ensuring equitable access to education and improving communication about available places.
Final Reflection
As the education community prepares for a new school year, the need for deep reforms in the vocational education system is evident to ensure that all students have the opportunity to thrive without obstacles or uncertainties.
