An initiative that promotes local identity
The City Council of Bocairent, together with various family associations, has decided to unite forces to promote the use of Valencian as a vehicular language in education. This initiative is part of a telematic consultation that will take place between February 25 and March 4, where families in the Valencian Country will be able to express their opinion on the language that must be prioritized in educational centers , following the guidelines of the new Rovira law.
The Valencian: A fundamental pillar for education
Parents’ associations, as well as the City Council, argue that Valencian is not only the language of the community, but also contributes to learning other languages and offers a quality educational model. In this sense, the AMPA of the CEIP Lluís Vives and the IES Bocairent have promoted a campaign to raise awareness of families about the importance of choosing Valencian as a language of education.
Discussions on educational legislation
As part of this campaign, an informative talk was held in January, with the participation of Jordi Antolí, director of the Multilingual Education Unit of the University of Alicante, who explained the details of the new law. Josep Lluís Pascual, President of the AMPA of the IES Bocairent, expressed concerns about the consultation, noting that the debate has become a confrontation between the two languages, instead of promoting balanced competence.
Critics of the telematic consultation
Pascual also stated his concerns about the lack of democratic guarantees in the consultation process, emphasizing that there is no independent supervision or appropriate mechanisms that ensure fair participation. He also criticized that alumni is allowed, while families of students with special educational needs are excluded, which could affect the validity of the results.
An inclusive future for the language
The Councilor for Education of Bocairent also stated her disagreement with the consultation, saying that she promotes the division into the educational community. He argued that Valencian must continue to be an identity and inclusion tool, essential to preparing children for a multilingual and diverse world. Thus, his bet is clear: Valencian must be the language that unites and not divides.
