New requirements for access to teaching
The Government of Catalonia seeks to establish the C2 level of Catalan as a requirement to access teaching starting in the 2025-2026 academic year, in accordance with the provisions of the Language Regime Decree. This decree, currently suspended as a precautionary measure by the TSJC, aims to strengthen the role of Catalan in schools, including the linguistic level of teachers.
Currently, only 25% of the teaching staff, whether civil servants, interims, substitutes or staff, have the C2 level. In the case of secondary teachers, this percentage rises to 29.2%, while only 21% of primary teachers have it. It is important to highlight that this decree would not affect the more than 90,000 teachers who already work in Catalonia, but rather those who join from the 2025-2026 academic year.
Territorial inequality
According to data obtained by the ACN, only one in four primary and secondary teachers has the C2 level. In primary school, only 20% of teachers can accredit this level, while in secondary school this percentage rises to 30%. At a territorial level, thirteen regions are below 25% of teachers with a C2 level, which is the Catalan average. These regions, with the exception of Aran, are the most populated and where up to 65% of all teachers in Catalonia are concentrated.
In contrast, Maresme, a region with more than 5,000 teachers, has a lower percentage of teachers with C2, with only 19%. In most counties, the trend of a lower level of Catalan in primary than in secondary is repeated. Other counties with a low incidence of this degree are Baix Llobregat, Vallès Oriental, Barcelonès, Vallès Occidental, Baix Penedès, Garraf, Alt Penedès, Selva, Ripollès and Vall d’Aran.
Exceptions and notable cases
Las Garrigues is the only region where more than 50% of secondary school teachers have C2 level, followed by Pla d’Urgell, Segrià, Alt Urgell, Segarra, Pallars Jussà and Noguera, all above the 40% The exception is Lluçanès, where 100% of its teachers have level C2, although it is a region with only 22 primary teachers in 6 municipalities.
The Government has appealed the decision of the TSJC to provisionally suspend the decree that includes the mandatory C2 level among new teachers starting in the 2025-2026 academic year. If this decree is applied, the current low percentages are expected to increase, since all new hires will require the C2 level of Catalan. In addition, active teachers who want to promote or serve in roles such as director or inspector must accredit level C2 starting in the 2027-2028 academic year.