Some Balearic nurseries start settling-in nine days early

Some nursery schools in the Balearics are starting their settling-in periods up to nine days before the official date, workers say. In Palma on 1 September, the Xarxa 0-3 network and sector unions called on the Ministry of Education and Universities to step in. The standard start of term is 10 September.

Workers say some centres are giving families conflicting information and following guidance circulated by employer groups. They want the Directorate-General for Early Childhood Education to ensure every nursery school follows the same calendar.

Why workers say it matters

The settling-in period is a particularly sensitive time for children and their families, the workers say. They argue it needs careful planning, advance preparation by teaching teams and equal rules backed by the administration.

The ministry funds four hours of free educational care for every family, with €45,000 paid for each classroom. The workers say that support means there must not be nursery schools of “first and second class”.

Call for inspections

Nursery schools run by town halls and the education authorities are following the set calendar, according to Xarxa 0-3. Those centres have told families that term begins on 10 September and explained how the settling-in process will work.

The group says the reported breaches have already been passed to the ministry. It wants the Education Inspectorate to check, on its own initiative, every centre funded wholly or partly with public money. The workers say the administration has so far taken no action to put the situation right.

Topics: Court cases · Jobs & labour · Education · Politics

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com