La The Valencian government has set it as an essential condition to continue negotiating with teachers' unions to ensure, whatever happens, the assessment of 2nd year Baccalaureate students. The regional government wants to prevent the indefinite strike announced for all educational levels from affecting the ebau of thousands of students.
The Ministry of Education, Culture and Universities insists that The absolute priority in this conflict is to protect the rights of the students. to take the university entrance exam on equal terms, both with respect to other territories of the State as compared to private and subsidized schools.
Protecting the 2nd year of Baccalaureate assessment as a red line
At the last meeting of the Sectoral Committee, the Generalitat made it clear that The continuation of the dialogue with the unions is contingent to a firm commitment: to ensure that the final assessment of 2nd year of Baccalaureate It is proceeding normally, despite the schedule of strikes and protests. For the regional government, this point is non-negotiable.
The Ministry emphasizes that the objective is that No second-year high school student should see their access to university jeopardized. due to a labor dispute between administration and teachers. The aim is to bring the situation in the Valencian Community in line with that of the other autonomous communities, so that Valencian students are not disadvantaged.
In this context, the Ministry of Education has proposed that the final evaluation of these groups be "protected," that is, protected from the direct consequences of the strikecoordinating the necessary measures to ensure the qualification process unfolds on time and in accordance with regulations. The technical details of this safeguard should be finalized in subsequent meetings if this premise is accepted.
However, the trade union organizations present at the table āSTEPV, CCOO, UGT, CSIF and ANPEā have rejected this condition. The unions believe that setting the 2nd year of Baccalaureate assessment as a red line limits their ability to exert pressure. and have opted to maintain the call for an indefinite strike, understanding that the economic improvements offered do not meet their expectations.
Indefinite strike and tension at the Sectoral Committee
Following a meeting without an agreement, the five unions with representation on the Sectoral Committee have confirmed that The indefinite strike at all educational levels continues and will begin on May 11. The decision was made despite the overall proposal presented by the Regional Ministry, which, according to the department, addressed most of the demands raised.
The trade unions describe the salary offer put forward by the Education Ministry as "laughable," based on a pay increase of 75 euros per monthFrom their point of view, this increase does not compensate for the accumulated loss of purchasing power nor does it reflect the level of responsibility and workload of the teaching staff.
The Catalan government, for its part, maintains that the economic and labor proposal is sound and that has the willingness to continue negotiatingHowever, he insists that the assessment of 2th-grade students cannot be used as leverage in the conflict. In his view, the direct impact on the academic future of thousands of young people would make this issue a line they are not willing to cross.
At the same time, the Consell has reiterated that The path of dialogue remains open. Their intention is to reach an agreement that combines improved working conditions for teachers with the defense of students' right to education. Even so, they acknowledge that the negotiations will overlap with the ongoing strike, which will increase tensions in schools.
Offer of salary improvements and professional recognition
In economic terms, the Ministry of Education has put forward a mobilization of 100 million euros annually This funding is intended to bolster teachers' salaries. According to the department, this amount would allow for a salary increase of around 1.050 euros per year per teacher.
With this increase, the Valencian Executive intends that Teacher salaries in the Valencian Community are above the Spanish averageThis improves its comparative position with other autonomous communities. The administration argues that the budgetary effort is considerable and demonstrates a clear commitment to teaching staff.
Education also reminds us that the six-year system in force in the Valencian Community It is among the highest in the country. These seniority and training allowances can reach ā¬687,61 per month, a figure that the regional government presents as evidence of the economic recognition of teachers' professional careers.
Although this combination of salary increase and maintenance of outstanding six-year service increments is presented as a significant compensation package, The trade unions maintain that the proposal is insufficient.They believe the improvement should go further and encompass both base salaries and other supplements, in addition to reducing temporary employment and improving ratios.
Less bureaucracy and a climate control plan in the centers
Beyond the economic aspect, the Generalitat has incorporated into its offer a set of measures aimed at to alleviate the bureaucratic burden on teachersOne of the flagship proposals is the so-called Simplify Education Plan, scheduled to come into effect in the 2026-2027 academic year.
This plan includes Project Eden, an initiative that seeks centralize in a single electronic file All the teacher's personal and professional data. The idea is to reduce the dispersion of procedures, avoid duplication, and facilitate processes that currently consume a significant amount of administrative time.
The Ministry argues that, with these tools, Teachers will be able to dedicate more time to strictly educational tasks. and even less so regarding bureaucratic matters, one of the recurring complaints from teaching staff. Simplifying processes is considered key to improving the work environment in schools.
In addition, the department is working on a air conditioning plan for educational centersThis plan includes a preliminary assessment of the needs of each school and institute, followed by the implementation of a schedule of actions. The aim is to address the problems of high temperatures in summer and low temperatures in winter, which have been exacerbated by episodes of extreme heat.
This package of organizational and infrastructure changes will be further defined in future meetings, which are also scheduled to address Other demands include teleworking and the language modelThe Catalan government insists that negotiations are still ongoing and that there is room to further refine the measures.
Educational investment and a direct message to families
Amid escalating tensions over the strike, the Minister of Education, Mari Carmen OrtĆ, has sent a letter to Valencian families in which He argues that the regional government is āworking to guarantee the right to educationā of all students. In the letter, he insists that no student or their parents should become "hostages" in a union conflict.
The message from the Ministry maintains that Governing also involves protecting those who cannot defend themselves.This refers to the 2nd year Baccalaureate students who are currently vying for university admission. The government accuses the strike organizers of endangering the academic future of thousands of young people.
To support its position, the Generalitat points out that during the current legislature One of the largest educational investments has been made of recent years in the Valencian Community. Among the highlights is the addition of 8.000 new teachers since the 2023-2024 academic year, which has allowed the teaching staff to reach a record of 78.000 teachers.
The regional government also highlights the injection of 160 million euros in 2025 through the Edificant PlanThis program, aimed at modernizing and improving educational infrastructure, seeks to renovate schools, adapt spaces, and create safer and more functional learning environments.
Another key aspect of this investment has been strengthening support for diversity and mental health. New facilities have been created 22 Early Detection Units with 56 clinical psychologists To address the emotional well-being of students, the following have been incorporated 700 support teachers and 82 new units specifically for students with special educational needs have been launched.
With all this data, the Generalitat is trying to reinforce its public message: The Executive's priority is to maintain the quality of the education system and protect the academic progress of students.especially for those in such a crucial year as the second year of Bachillerato (pre-university studies). In response, it demands that the unions' pressure tactics not jeopardize the assessment process or access to the university entrance exams (EBAU).
The conflict remains unresolved, with an indefinite strike called and a negotiation process that still has a way to go, but with a clear red line set by the Valencian government: To safeguard the 2nd year of Baccalaureate assessment to ensure that no student's university future is compromised by a labor dispute between administration and teaching staff.
