Balearic school tests: Catalan trails at 71.7%

On Mallorca and elsewhere in the Balearic Islands, Catalan has the lowest result of four subjects tested in the second year of compulsory secondary education (ESO): 71.7% of pupils have secured the skills assessed or are working towards them. English, Spanish and maths all score higher in the same year group. The Balearic Islands Department of Education and Universities released the results on Tuesday, 27 October, after about 25,000 pupils took part in tests during the 2025/2026 school year.

The gap in secondary school

In second-year secondary classes, the share of pupils who have secured the skills tested or are still working towards them is 81.9% in English, 82.3% in Spanish and 80.6% in maths. The tests were carried out by the Institute for Evaluation and Quality of the Education System (Iaqse).

In fourth-year primary classes, the equivalent figure for Catalan is 81.4%. It is 79.4% for English, 84.9% for Spanish and 86.2% for maths.

Sixth-year pupils tested for the first time

Among sixth-year primary pupils, the figures are 82.1% for Catalan, 81.5% for English, 85.7% for Spanish and 85.7% for maths. This year group was tested for the first time since the Lomloe education law came into force, to check how far pupils had developed their skills by the end of primary school.

Every participating school will receive a report on its results. The education department says the reports will help schools identify pupils’ strengths and where they need to improve, while the tests will also guide improvements by schools and the education authorities.

Topics: Education

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com