Andalusian Government Increases Funding for Private Education Agreements Amid Public Sector Criticism

• The Andalusian regional government is investing over 1.1 billion euros in private educational agreements for the 2026-2027 academic year.
• Of 42 newly approved subsidized centers, 69% are affiliated with Christian institutions.
• Public education advocates, including families and labor unions, are protesting the shift toward privatization and the concurrent reduction of public school capacity.

Budget and Structural Disparities

• The government's investment in private partnerships (over 1.1 billion euros) significantly dwarfs funding for regional scholarships, which totals 29.05 million euros for the 2026 fiscal year.
• The existing system already manages over 12,000 subsidized units, with an additional 264 units approved for early childhood, primary, and special education stages.

Impact on Public Schools

• According to the Ustea labor union, 2,700 public classrooms have been lost in Andalusia since 2019, with 410 more eliminated in the current academic year.
• Activists argue that the government’s "public-private collaboration" model undermines public education and have pledged to intensify protests in the coming months.