Page 95 - Štremfel, Urška, and Maša Vidmar (eds.). 2018. Early School Leaving: Contemporary European Perspectives. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut.
P. 95
the esl situation in spain
evaluating these measures. The national programmes referred to above
have not been funded by the regions since 2012, and also are not included
in the 2013 national budget (ET Monitor Spain, 2013). One of the most sig-
nificant actions is the assigning of monitoring duties related to ESL actions
to the Sectoral Committee for Education (EC/EACEA/Eurydice/Cedefop,
2014).
The Programme for Reinforcement, Guidance and Support – PROA
(Programas de Refuerzo, Orientación y Apoyo) has been running since the
2004–2005 academic year and is to be replaced by other measures and ini-
tiatives, suggesting a deep structural reform of the education system with-
in the framework of the Law for the Improvement of Quality in Education.
PROA aimed to address inequalities in education, prevent social exclusion
and give educational establishments extra resources. It worked together
with pupils, families and the local environment and provided extra sup-
port for individual pupils facing difficulties as well as targeted support for
primary and secondary schools hosting large numbers of pupils from so-
cially disadvantaged backgrounds (EC, 2013).
Measurers that offer routes to re-enter the education system are also
available in Spain (curricular diversification programmes, PCPI etc.) (EC/
EACEA/Eurydice/Cedefop, 2014). Developments were expected when im-
plementing a 2-year initial vocational training programme that would add
flexibility to educational pathways and upgrade the quality of basic VET
(EC, 2015). So one of the Spanish plan’s recommendations to reduce ESL
and reintegrate participants into the education system is to increase enrol-
ment levels in the PCPI, especially in sectors where there are greater em-
ployment opportunities. PCPI (Programas de Cualificación Profesional
Inicial – Initial Vocational Qualification Programmes) gives students una-
ble to progress at the end of the third year of ESO a choice between repeat-
ing the year or pursuing the PCPI which like the traditional Bachillerato
leads to a secondary education qualification. It is also an option for young
people aged 16 and over who left school early, so it acts like a mechanism
helping to bring ESLers into the labour market (Nevala et al., 2011). Only
nine regions have so far developed the relevant legislation, leading to far
fewer students enrolling than the government expected (EC, 2015).
Education and career guidance are other explicit measures for com-
batting ESL in Spain. Such measures recognise that guidance plays a cen-
tral role in improving academic performance and clearly state that one of
the objectives of guidance is to provide support and advice to those who left
95
evaluating these measures. The national programmes referred to above
have not been funded by the regions since 2012, and also are not included
in the 2013 national budget (ET Monitor Spain, 2013). One of the most sig-
nificant actions is the assigning of monitoring duties related to ESL actions
to the Sectoral Committee for Education (EC/EACEA/Eurydice/Cedefop,
2014).
The Programme for Reinforcement, Guidance and Support – PROA
(Programas de Refuerzo, Orientación y Apoyo) has been running since the
2004–2005 academic year and is to be replaced by other measures and ini-
tiatives, suggesting a deep structural reform of the education system with-
in the framework of the Law for the Improvement of Quality in Education.
PROA aimed to address inequalities in education, prevent social exclusion
and give educational establishments extra resources. It worked together
with pupils, families and the local environment and provided extra sup-
port for individual pupils facing difficulties as well as targeted support for
primary and secondary schools hosting large numbers of pupils from so-
cially disadvantaged backgrounds (EC, 2013).
Measurers that offer routes to re-enter the education system are also
available in Spain (curricular diversification programmes, PCPI etc.) (EC/
EACEA/Eurydice/Cedefop, 2014). Developments were expected when im-
plementing a 2-year initial vocational training programme that would add
flexibility to educational pathways and upgrade the quality of basic VET
(EC, 2015). So one of the Spanish plan’s recommendations to reduce ESL
and reintegrate participants into the education system is to increase enrol-
ment levels in the PCPI, especially in sectors where there are greater em-
ployment opportunities. PCPI (Programas de Cualificación Profesional
Inicial – Initial Vocational Qualification Programmes) gives students una-
ble to progress at the end of the third year of ESO a choice between repeat-
ing the year or pursuing the PCPI which like the traditional Bachillerato
leads to a secondary education qualification. It is also an option for young
people aged 16 and over who left school early, so it acts like a mechanism
helping to bring ESLers into the labour market (Nevala et al., 2011). Only
nine regions have so far developed the relevant legislation, leading to far
fewer students enrolling than the government expected (EC, 2015).
Education and career guidance are other explicit measures for com-
batting ESL in Spain. Such measures recognise that guidance plays a cen-
tral role in improving academic performance and clearly state that one of
the objectives of guidance is to provide support and advice to those who left
95
