Despite the fact that we have brought together education officials on four occasions and made different proposals to them, they have not taken the necessary steps to get the situation back on track in Ordizia.

In the last year we have met four times with the senior officials of the Department of Education. Jokin Bildarratz, Minister of Education; Begoña Pedrosa, Vice-Minister of Education; Eugenio Jiménez, Director of Centres and Planning; and Amaia Urzelai, Territorial Delegate of Education of Gipuzkoa. Last, 15 February. At these meetings we have given the department concrete data on the origin of student families and the serious imbalance in the socio-economic situation in the village of Ordizia. We have brought to light the serious problems that this situation is generating in coexistence, in the treatment of diversity, in inclusion and in Euskaldunization. We have told them that it is they who have the key to solving the situation, influencing planning. And, although they have accepted it, insofar as we have not received concrete answers, we have also proposed concrete measures to channel the imbalance.

It is now more than four years since the Basque Government approved in the Ikastola Jakintza registration irregularities which considerably increased the previously serious imbalance. Not only do we accept irregularities, but we allocate an unplanned room.

On November 6, 2019, Ararteko published a resolution on the Ordizia imbalance. It asked the Department of Education to assess the impact of the planning measures approved in Ordizia and to take corrective measures that could contribute to a more balanced distribution of students. It's been three years. In the annual report of Ararteko, published on March 29, for the third consecutive year, there are issues of particular concern to Ordizia and school segregation. The Ombudsman says that the Government has not evaluated planning decisions and has not taken corrective measures that could contribute to a more balanced distribution of students. That is why the Ararteko has shown its disagreement with the Department of Education, Linguistic Policy and Culture of the Basque Government. It considers that the adoption of other measures under the current rules would make it possible to overcome the situation described repeatedly. But the Administration's action and inaction has only made the situation worse.

Ordizia recorded a migration rate of 19%, one of the highest in the Basque Country. One-third of the families of pupils of child-education and compulsory schooling age come from abroad. Almost nine out of ten students are enrolled in the Public School. On the contrary, less than half of those who are born in Ordizia or in the Basque Country study at the Public School. The imbalance is even more evident in Early Childhood Education. And in recent years, the decisions taken by the Department of Education and others it has not taken have only increased the imbalance.

Contrary to the data and criteria of equality, the Department of Education has placed in a new distribution of students from families from abroad the main cause of the imbalance between schools in Ordizia. In particular, once the school year begins, students enrolled in the Ikastola Jakintza will be enrolled in a higher proportion than the current one.

First of all, it should be pointed out that, in our view, the cause of the imbalance cannot be attributed to pupils from families of foreign origin or to people suffering from a difficult socio-economic situation. Moreover, to the extent that they are more proportionate, the distribution of those who originate in Ordizia or in the Basque Country or have a better socio-economic situation influences more on the imbalance and, therefore, on the balance. The measure of balance should therefore take account of all this.

On the other hand, this proposal to centralize students from families from abroad limits the role of the Public School as one of the most appropriate. That is, to offer all citizens the right to public and universal education, regardless of its origin, thought, belief, gender, sexual orientation, physical-psychological aptitude or socioeconomic situation.

In addition, we consider that the measure is discriminatory, as it applies to students from families from abroad, with socio-economic difficulties or with some kind of difficulty, and not to others.

If that were not enough, this option would transfer enrollment and, consequently, classrooms and classrooms to the private concerted school.

And finally, it would hardly affect the imbalance. And that is that every year, in proportion to all students, there are very few students who register after the beginning of the course. Therefore, although, as the Basque Government and some actors have pointed out, the measure was carried out with students from families from abroad, who are in difficult or difficult socio-economic situations, as well as being discriminatory, the impact could be very limited.

If, on the contrary, by focusing the public school and prioritizing planning, the number of classrooms and lines of the Ikastola were limited and a balanced distribution of all students, not only from families of foreign origin or with socioeconomic difficulties, the imbalances would be considerably reduced.

Convinced that such decisions might require an amendment to the current rules, we believe that it can serve to begin to reverse the serious situation in Ordizia. It can also be useful, if appreciated, for other towns and neighbourhoods suffering a similar situation.

The Department of Education is aware of the serious situation we live in Ordizia and other towns and neighbourhoods, and is aware of our proposals. The demand is clear: to make decisions to resolve the imbalance and to be able to work properly coexistence, attention to diversity, inclusion and Euskaldunization.