The Institut d’Estudis Eivissencs (IEE) has demanded this Wednesday the immediate withdrawal of the Pilot Plan of free choice of language promoted by the Government in the educational centers of the Balearic Islands. According to the IEE, this initiative is not only an “unnecessary waste”, but also represents a direct attack on the use of Catalan, while promoting the segregation of students based on the language chosen by their families.
A measure that marginalizes the Catalan language
The IEE maintains that this plan contradicts the Statute of Autonomy of the Balearic Islands, which obliges to guarantee the equal and official use of the Catalan and Spanish languages. The entity stresses that the Catalan language is already at a disadvantage compared to Spanish and considers that this measure “further aggravates” its situation.
For the IEE, the real objective of the plan is to reduce the presence of Catalan in schools, which puts at risk its normalization and its use in the daily life of the islands. In addition, they have pointed out that the current system, supported by laws passed by the Balearic Parliament, has proven to be functional and balanced for the majority of the population.
Criticism of political motivations
The Institut has also denounced that the Pilot Plan responds to an attempt by the Government to satisfy the demands of VOX, a formation that they consider openly opposed to Catalan. According to the entity, measures such as this seek to strengthen VOX’s parliamentary support for the autonomous administration, which poses a danger to the preservation of the Balearic Islands’ own language. “Adherence to the plan has been very limited, which shows that it is not a priority for citizens,” the IEE has pointed out. In this sense, they have urged the authorities to redirect the budgeted resources towards educational policies that really contribute to the strengthening of the educational system and the promotion of Catalan.
An appeal to protect one’s own language
The Institut d’Estudis Eivissencs has reiterated its concern about the impact that this type of initiative could have on the normalization of Catalan, not only in the classroom, but also in everyday life. In addition, they have warned that the decline in the use of Catalan could significantly erode the cultural identity of the islands. For this reason, they have demanded that the Government abandon the plan and adopt measures that promote an inclusive and equitable education, based on the respect and promotion of both official languages, but with strong support for Catalan as the Balearic Islands’ own distinctive language.
