- Activities that advertise that they will be in Basque but that end up being in Spanish, sessions that are theoretically bilingual and are conducted in practice exclusively in Spanish or leisure that is not offered directly in Basque. The complaints of the parents of Vitoria-Gasteiz are numerous and have a clear message: the institutions have the responsibility to guarantee Euskera in the children and youth leisure organized or financed.
The associations of parents from 18 schools in the capital have joined this claim. The father of the School of Zabalgana, Bergoi Madernaz, explained to ARGIA what happened to him: after enrolling in a course offered in Basque, the course was conducted in Spanish. “Most of the private activities, academies and others are in Spanish, and in the leisure offered by the City Hall often predominates in Spanish due to lack of control”. Another example is that many activities are offered as bilingual (e.g. swimming courses), but in practice, if there is a student who does not know Euskera, they are often done only in Spanish. Moreover, he said that in many of the actions that subcontract, finance or participate in one way or another, the City of Vitoria and the Provincial Council of Álava do not guarantee the Basque Country.
Parents ask institutions to take steps to ensure that this does not happen and to expand the leisure offer in Basque: “We want to see Basque guaranteed in the activities run and paid by the institutions”.
"Only the school is not capable of euskaldunizar. In fun activities, children and young people have to see that they can practice in Basque and that they have the possibility to live in Basque in all areas, and leisure has a fundamental role in it"
These are the 18 PAs that supported the request: Association of parents Eguzkilorea (Lakuabizkarra College); Ikasberri (Adurtza); Aldaiaberri (Aldaialde); Basartea (Ramón Bajo); Ibaikide (Ibaiondo); Aintzira (Salburua); Mariturri (Tokieder);
Among young people, “a vacuum and a manifest lack of supply”
The Centre for Linguistic Rights has also confirmed the same problem: According to complaints from the inhabitants of the Basque Country, in various activities, workshops, conferences, etc. The offer in Euskera is lower and, in many cases, those announced in Euskera are also conditioned or are made mainly in Spanish."Although the offer in Euskera of younger children presents a better situation, the lack of offer or emptiness in the offer aimed at both older children and young people is evident," says Agurne Gaubeka.
The knowledge of the Basque country in Álava has experienced the greatest growth, highlighting the efforts of the school and the parents behind these data. “But only the school is not capable of euskaldunizar,” explains Bergoi Madernaz. Leisure and leisure is of vital importance in the fact that children and young people can also enjoy Euskera in leisure activities and live in Euskera in all areas. The Basque country must be present in all possible areas.”