The Ministry of Education presented a proposal on Wednesday to significantly reduce the maximum number of students per classroom across all educational stages, from the first cycle of early childhood education to Bachillerato.
The document submitted to the unions sets new limits: four pupils in classes for zero-year-olds, six for one-year-olds and eight for two-year-olds, compared with the current eight, 13 and 20. In the second cycle of early childhood education the maximum would drop to 20 and in Bachillerato to 30.
The change would be introduced progressively from the 2027-2028 school year and processed as a royal decree. The text also requires for the first time that schools guarantee adequate air conditioning for students and staff.
Unions CCOO, STES and CSIF welcomed the move but called for sufficient funding. Employers’ group Acade warned that the private early childhood sector could close entirely because families could not absorb the extra costs.
The proposal comes amid ongoing strikes in Madrid and protests in other regions over working conditions in the 0-3 stage.
