On March 18, after many incidents, PNV, EH Bildu, PSE and Podemos agreed on the bases of the Basque educational system. Let us remember that the PSE made important amendments in the Basque Country to the document agreed by the PNV and EH Bildu, leaving EH Bildu in a difficult position. Subsequently, Podemos also agreed several amendments with the PNV and the PSE. Finally, EH Bildu also joined the agreement, having incorporated other amendments.

However, this type of long and detailed work has not taken into account the different situations of the Basque country: the Basque country, the Basque country, the Basque children, the Basque children from the Castilian area, or the problem of the three legal areas (CAV, Navarra, Iparralde). Unfortunately, these kinds of realities have been avoided and concealed. Moreover, in the CAV, the evolution of the use of the Basque Country has been degenerating in recent years, due to the lack or impossibility of responsibility of the educational authorities. And that's not a good thing either. In fact, in recent years, very worrying results have been coming from the field of education. All the indicators of the evolution of the Basque Country show a clear downward trend, and we believe that the time has come to channel something effective.

Unfortunately, after careful analysis of the report, we conclude that it presents significant gaps and risks. In fact, the proposal that has been agreed can be a way of leaving Euskera aside further.

For example, point 68a of the report states that the centres “will achieve linguistic objectives to the extent required by their socio-linguistic environment”. In particular, what does this mean? Will the centres be able to set lower targets than B2 depending on the socio-linguistic area? A good formula for putting the Basque country on the path of irreversibility.

The following is indicated in point 131a: The law calls for “multilingual education” through “the two official languages and at least one foreign language”. Of course, we are going to a trilingual model. Based on the experience of Navarre, our concern only increases. The model of immersion in Basque is not even mentioned when the higher courts of Spain broke the model of immersion in Catalonia and forced him to introduce Spanish.

The agreed document does not mention the Basque Country, the Basque culture, the Basque curriculum, the sovereign regulatory environment, the promotion of Basque education or the Basque culture. Yes, “multilingual education and intercultural education”. The discourse for the supposed “plurality” represents what should be in favor of the Basque Country.

At the end of the ESO, students will have “sufficient practical knowledge” of the Basque and Spanish language and “sufficient knowledge” of a foreign language. The same objectives are set for Basque (vulnerable situation) and Spanish (utterly dominant language). In both cases, the level to be reached at the end of ESO will be B2. That doesn't have a foot or a head. What was supposed to be fair, but it is only a fateful end. Are the school hours sufficient to guarantee the knowledge of Spanish, but how will they guarantee the “practical knowledge” of the Basque Country by reducing the school hours? What is more, when it has not been implemented anywhere so far?

In the case of Vocational Training, students must obtain “Technical Linguistic Training in the relevant professional area”. In what language is not said, but in the professional training of the CAPV enrollment in model D does not reach 20%. A brave real bet!

It is said that the Basque country will be a priority in all the activities and relations of the school. Unfortunately, in current model D this is rarely achieved. Well, how is it going to be achieved in a trilingual model?

Nor is there any mention of the criteria for grouping pupils. We can therefore believe that henceforth the Basque children’s centres will continue to be systematically segregated, in violation of the identity and fundamental rights of children. In this way, Euskaldunes students will continue to be placed in a handshake, and the result is evident. Euskaldunes leave the Basque Country and embrace Spanish until they are assimilated to the main group.

Thus, it will be practically impossible for many students to obtain B2 Euskera level. Today, in most schools, with Castilian as the owner, we believe that these legal bases strengthen Castilian in the relations between students and students, and that all they do is delay the problem. That is, without multilingual Euskaldunes, whole Castilian students but passive Euskaldun, they will leave the school “short”, despite the knowledge of English. This agreement does not seem to us to be ‘historic’, paraphrasing the words of some politicians. In any case, it will be historic the setback that will bring us to the Basque world, perhaps definitive, fulfilling the wishes of some of the signatories.