5.2.1 Introduction
Any political regime tries to transfer its values and solve the people’s formative needs with the creation of an educational policy.
Along these decades, different study plans, which have tried to cover the needs of each moment, have been put into practice. In our research we have pointed at the most relevant aspects of the educational systems of each period.
5.2.2 Main study plans
5.2.2.1 Minister Garcia Mina (1952-62):
In this period, a series of agreements that finish with the international Spanish isolation are put into practice. Among them we can mention the pact with the EEUU (1951) and the admission in the UNO (1955).
The country was inmersed in an industrialisation phase and a great number of skilled workers were necessary.
Technical instruction is priorized – in its different levels and specialities. A greater number of people had access to the university. As we can see in graphic-1, after the primary education, people could choose to study Batxillerat or Vocational Training. The latter had two different degrees: middle and higher. Vocational Training of high degree was taught at the university.
A lot of non-state schools were opened in order to teach technical education. The practical training took place in both these schools and in the industries.
Nearly a million pupils, coming mainly from rural areas, were enrolled in schools and more than 20,000 classrooms were built.
The Centres for Pedagogical Guidance were created to make guidance and exchange of pedagogical experiences easy. Technical Universities such as those in Gijón, Sevilla, Córdoba and Tarragona were also created (1956-57)
5.2.2.2 Minister Lora Tamayo (1962-68) (1st Plan of Economical Development)
There is a continuation in the sense of expediting the access to education to as many people as possible.
A literacy campaign started in 1963-64 and a great number of state schools were built (the project was to reach 15,000 new schools). Compulsory scholarity finished at the age of 14 and a lot of private schools arose: evening schools, filial schools, ...
A new university law (17.7.65) tries
to bring into line the problems that raised (overcrowded classrooms and
the teachers situation) so as to guarantee the education quality.
5.2.2.3 Minister Villar Palasí (1970) General Law of Education
It appeared to give an answer to the
new educational needs:
“to offer everybody the equality of the
educational opportunities,
with no limitations but for the capacity
for studying” and provide
“an educational system characterised by
its unity, flexibility and interrelations so as to facilitate permanent
education and the contact with the social reality of the country (Law 14/1970).
On finishing the General Basic Education, which was compulsory and free until the age of 14, students could choose between Batxillerat or Vocational Training. Both studies would allow them to study at the university (graphic 4).
Education was understood as a permanent process of formation along the life of a person and was inspired in the Christian way of life and in the Principles of National Movement.
There were a wide scope of centres where middle studies could be taken: National Institutes of Middle Education, Technical and Labour Institutes so as to make the access easy from any social level.
In 1972, the Open University was founded.
And for those over the age of 25 without previous studies there was the possibility to go to the university by means of an access exam.
5.2.2.4 General Arrangement of the Educational System (LOGSE)1990.
Different happenings that transformed the country took place after the previous Law of 1970: Franco died (1975), A new Constitution was elaborated (1978), the socialist party was in the power from 1982 to 1993 and different laws such as the University Reform (1983) and the Law that regularised the Right to Education (1985) were promoted.
The new educational system has two main objectives:
First, “the total development of the student’s personality which has to be tolerant, mutually binding and respectful with others’ freedom”.
Second, “The cultural and linguistic plurality of Spain must be repected and students must be able to take active part in the socio-cultural life in a democratic way.
School attendance is compulsory until the
age of 16 (graphic 5).
The educational levels that were going to be taught are the following (graphic
6):
Primary Education (until the age of 6)
Compulsory Secondary Education (until the
age of 16)
Batxillerat/Vocational Training of middle
and high degree.
University Education
The studies of music, dance, drama, plastic arts and design are regulated; furthemore, the permanent instruction for teachers and adult education are promoted. Freedom to teach is recognised.
The moral and religious instruction is done according to the convictions of the families.
Each University has academic, government and financial autonomy to give official degrees both common and general.
Next there is a detailed functioning of these
studies as we believe they are of great interest.
The Certificate of further
secondary education.
There is one level and two years. There are
four modalities.
ARTS
NATURAL SCIENCE
HUMANITIES
TECHNOLOGY
SOCIAL SCIENCES
What are modalities?
This certificate includes a common part
for everybody and guarantees the contents of general culture and one specific
part, which prepares the student according to his possibilities and interests.
This specific part is called modality.
Who and how can this certificate be obtained?
This certificate can be obtained by:
All the students who have passed the Compulsory
Secondary Education (ESO) exams.
The students who have completed a Formative
Level of Middle Grade even without going through Compulsory Secondary Education
(ESO).
Other students who can sit for this certificate:
The students who have passed 1st and 2nd
year of BUP (the former secondary education system, 1975-1999).
The students who have passed 1st and 2nd
year of FP1 (the former vocational studies, 1975-1999).
The students who have passed the three common
courses of applied arts and artistic works.
What are common subjects?
The common subjects are the subjects that
all the students must do:
Catalan Language and Literature.
Spanish Language and Literature.
Foreign Language.
Philosophy.
History.
Physical Education.
Religion (optional, voluntary).
Which subjects do the students study in each
modality?
Apart from the common subjects for everybody,
the student will complete this formation with some subjects depending on
the modality. The student has to choose 6 out of every modality.
What are optional subjects?
The student will complete his formation
with other subjects, called optional subjects. The school or the Education
Authority will decide on the optional subjects.
The student will study subjects such a:
2nd foreign language, Information Technology, Psychology or Electronics.
Credits in Further Secondary Education.
There are credits in Further Secondary Education,
like in Compulsory Secondary Education. Each credit consists of 35-hour-tuition.
The student will do 60 credits during the
Further Secondary Education.
What is Research Work?
At the end of the Further Secondary Education
the students have to do research work.
The student will do this work by himself
and assessed by a teacher.
With this work the student has to show:
If he is able to apply the knowledge of
the whole further secondary education.
If he is capable, constant and neat doing
this work.
His responsability for choosing the subject
and for doing research on it.
Are there Tutories in Further Secondary Education?
Yes. Tutories, like in the Compulsory Secondary
Education (ESO), are used by tutor-teachers in order to know and guide
each student depending on his characteristics.
The tutor-teachers have to report the parents
of the evolution of their sons and daughters at least once each term.
Assessment.
The student is assessed depending on his
coursework and activities. The exams do not disappear, they are another
element (not the only one) to assess the students.
There are no final exams.
There are no exams in September.
The students’ grades are expressed with
numbers from 1 to 10.
The student will pass if he has 5 or more.
The student will pass on the next year in
Further Secondary Education if he passes all the subjects or he does not
pass two subjects maximum. Otherwise, the student will repeat the course.
Each teacher will carry out the assessment
on his own subject. The average marks of the student are valued by all
the teachers of all the subjects.
The student and the parents receive information
of the results of the assessment at least once a term.
Formative Levels of Vocational Studies.
These studies give vocational knowledge and prepare young people to have access to work. These studies prepare young people for a job.
Basic Vocational Studies.
The students can do these Basic Vocational
Studies in Compulsory Secondary Education (ESO) and in Further Secondary
Education.
Specific Vocational Studies.
In the Specific Vocational Studies there
are two grades: middle and superior.
The Formative Levels (middle and superior)
belong to some of these 22 vocational families:
Formative Level of Middle Grade.
Who and how can this be obtained?
The students will have access to work with
a medium qualification grade.
The student will do this level after passing
The Compulsory Secondary Education (ESO) exams or after doing a test.
Other students that can attend Formative
Level of Middle Grade:
The students who have completed 1st and
2nd of BUP (the former Further Secondary Education).
The students who have completed 1st and
2nd of FP1 (the former Vocational Studies).
The students who have completed the three
courses of Artistic Studies.
There is no age limit to do this level.
Types of Formative Level of Middle Grade.
There are two types of Formative Level of
Middel Grade:
1300-1400 hours (1 academic year).
1700-2000 hours (2 academic years).
Subjects of the Formative Level of Middle
Grade.
In Formative Levels there are no general
subjects, like maths, history, etc.
The student will do specific subjects, for
instance, accountancy if he studies administration.
The student will do these levels in the
school (theory and practice) and in some companies (practice).
After doing Formative Level of Middle Grade.
If the student passes the Level, he obtains
the Certificate of Technician.
If the student passes the Level, he is allowed
to:
Get a job.
Study some modality of Further Secondary
Education.
Study another Formative Level of Middle
Grade.
If the student does not pass the Level,
he can:
Repeat the Level.
Change Level.
Find a job.
Formative Level of Superior Grade.
A student is not allowed to do a Superior
Formative Level after doing a Middle Formative Level. He must pass either
Further Secondary Education exams or a test.
Who and how can this be obtained?
The students will have access to work with
a superior qualification grade.
The student will do this level after passing
The Further Secondary Education exams or after doing a test (if he is more
than 20 years).
Other students that can attend Formative
Level of Superior Grade:
The students who have completed COU (the
former Further Secondary Education).
The students who have completed FP2 (the
former Vocational Studies).
Types of Formative Level of Superior Grade.
There are two types of Formative Level of
Superior Grade:
1300-1400 hours (1 academic year).
1700-2000 hours (2 academic years).
After doing Formative Level Of Superior Grade.
If the student passess the Level, he obtains
the Certificate of Superior Technician.
If the student passes the Level, he is allowed
to:
Get a job.
Study another Formative Level of Superior
Grade.
Go to University.
If the student does not pass the Level,
he can:
Repeat the Level.
Change Level.
Find a job.
Assessment in the Formative Levels.
The student is assessed depending on his
coursework and activities.
The exams do not disappeat, they are another
element (not the only one) to assess the students.
There are no final exams.
There are no exams in September.
The students’ grades are expressed with
number from 1 to 10.
The student will pass if he has 5 or more.
The student will pass the Level if he passes
all the subjects. Otherwise, the student will repeat the subjects not passed.
5.2.3 Teachers salaries
