The Government has presented the draft of the new school curricula for kindergarten, primary, ESO and baccalaureate, which provide for an increase in the teaching hours of mathematics, foreign languages, art education and knowledge of the environment in primary and mathematics in secondary.
This was explained this Tuesday by the Councilor for Education and Universities, Antoni Vera, at a press conference, in which he detailed that in secondary and high school new electives are introduced. Likewise, the councilor stressed that the new draft, which has had the participation of teachers, limits the use of screens in kindergarten and primary school. In kindergarten, the proposal is only to allow the use of screens by teachers in the last cycle of the stage. In primary school, on the other hand, a difference is established between digital competence and the excessive use of screens. Likewise, in the infant stage, oral communication, reading, writing and mathematics skills are reinforced, while in primary school, priority is given to the learning of reading, writing and mathematics. The draft proposes an increase in the number of hours of Mathematics in 2nd and 4th ESO and, in 1st and 2nd, new optional reinforcement of Catalan, Spanish, Foreign Language and Mathematics. A new elective in Digital and Multimedia Environments is also introduced. The subject of Research Work, which is currently taken in high school, will become an optional subject in the first year, according to Vera, as required by the Ministry of Education. At this stage, the new electives are European Union and Business Project. In addition, Vera has stressed that the subject of History and Culture of the Balearic Islands is developed “in greater depth”. These changes bring an increase in the number of hours, from 31 to 33 per week in the 1st year of baccalaureate and, likewise, the optional Physical Activity, Leisure and Health is introduced in the 2nd year. The conseller, together with the general director of Vocational Training and Educational Planning, Maria Isabel Salas, stressed that the draft proposals are innovative and mark a “significant” change. The aim is to improve essential learning and ensure a “solid” base of knowledge and skills. According to Vera, the curricular adaptation aims to implement measures to improve the results of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) tests, as well as the Timss and other assessment tests. It also reduces the bureaucratic burden to facilitate teaching and grants greater autonomy to schools. This autonomy translates into a curricular structure that favors programming and adaptation to the reality of each center and group of students. At the same time, the basic knowledge is specified and the evaluation criteria are clarified in accordance with the basic state regulations.
For the first time, more than 100 teachers from all stages and islands participated in the development of the new curricula. In addition, the 32 proposals made by the group of experts and included in the reports of analysis and proposals for the improvement of the educational system have been incorporated. The Conselleria de Educación has sent the draft to the members of the teaching boards and in the next few days will go on public exhibition. The idea, said Vera, is that during the month of February the School Board will make the final contributions and that the new curricula can be approved between May and June. In relation to the increase of hours of certain subjects, Vera has pointed out that the Balearic Islands is one of the autonomous communities that does less Mathematics. For example, in Castilla y León, 28 and a half hours a week are taught throughout primary school, while currently in the Balearic Islands 16 hours are taught. The new curricula propose to increase the number of hours of this subject to 24.
