Balearic Islands public education funding demand

The teachers’ union ANPE has called on Spain’s government to ensure a new regional financing system provides sufficient resources for public education in the Balearic Islands. The appeal was made in Palma, Mallorca, on 21 August 2026, with the union arguing that the draft fails to account adequately for the costs of island life and rising pupil numbers.

ANPE said the proposal would not end what it describes as the archipelago’s long-standing funding shortfall. It also argued that the model gives less weight to insularity while leaving the additional costs associated with the islands and population growth insufficiently covered.

Concerns over the proposed model

According to ANPE, the latest report by the Foundation for Applied Economic Studies, known as Fedea, indicates that structural underfunding would continue in healthcare and education.

ANPE president Víctor Villatoro said the central government was asking the Balearic Islands to absorb costs arising from measures intended to make public-sector posts more attractive through the insularity factor. He said those commitments should not be passed to the autonomous community through an inadequate financing system.

Call for stable education funding

Villatoro said policies such as reducing class sizes and teachers’ classroom hours require reliable, adequate funding. Otherwise, he said, the impact would be felt by residents and in the quality of public services.

The union said the funding formula should reflect island-related costs, the sharp increase in the school population, the need for new education facilities, recruitment and retention difficulties, and high housing and living costs in the Balearic Islands. It warned that insufficient resources could undermine progress on staffing, pupil support, smaller classes and public education quality.

Topics: Jobs & labour · Politics

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com