Teachers in the region are expressing their discontent over the lack of progress on fundamental issues. Among the demands are reduced student-teacher ratios, improved working conditions, and sufficient resources to adequately serve students, as reported by the Vega Baja Teachers' Assembly.
In Orihuela, the strike is receiving broad support, especially on the Coast, where schools are operating with 20% fewer staff than last year, and ratios have soared in classrooms. For example, at CEIP Los Dolses, the entire faculty, comprising over 70 teachers, has joined the strike.
“"The teachers' participation is widespread because we suffer a lot. We have fewer teachers to attend to more students."
Ratios, which were previously 20, are now 25 in Infant Education and 27 in Primary Education. Furthermore, there are no teachers to teach Spanish to newcomers in an area with a high percentage of foreign students, nor support teachers for children who need reinforcement. UECO classrooms for special needs also exceed the ratio of eight students.
Teachers warn that the problem with this strike is not salary-related. Although salary is a point to demand, the fundamental issue is the conditions under which they work and attend to children. Educational community sources add that efforts are being made to force the privatization of education, similar to what is happening in healthcare.
“"The strike is because people are fed up with enduring, fighting, and dealing with groups that are impossible to manage under these conditions."
The discontent extends to families, who see fewer resources available. At CEIP Los Dolses, only about a hundred students attended class, an unprecedented response. At CEIP Miguel Hernández, 36 out of 31 teachers went on strike, while at IES Gabriel Miró, about 60 out of a hundred teachers participated, and at Tháder institute, 38 out of 60.
The Cambiemos party has expressed its support for the indefinite education strike and has called the words of the Minister of Education «profoundly irresponsible». The minister stated that «no student can be a hostage of a union conflict» in a letter sent to families, which the party has deemed «very serious» for using public tools to target teachers and convey a «biased narrative».
“"The strike is the direct consequence of the abandonment and systematic deterioration of public education by the Consell."
The councilor pointed out that the strike is a legitimate response from teachers and education workers to a policy based on cuts, improvisation, classroom overcrowding, lack of resources, and disdain for the educational community. He affirmed that those who turn students into hostages are not those who defend dignified conditions, but rather those who deteriorate public services.
Therefore, Cambiemos has demanded a real and decisive commitment to public education, with more investment and dignified conditions, against the strategy of confrontation and targeting promoted by a ministry more concerned with attacking teachers than with solving classroom problems.
