In recent months there has been much to do with Harro Topagunea’s statement on the Basque Public School in Basque education. The platform claims: On the one hand, the disappearance of the concerted network and the fact that public education is unique; in his view, the privatisation of the educational system increases segregation. On the other hand, the disappearance of educational models A and B and the existence of a single model based on immersion language: Because educational models A and B don't completely Euskaldunize.

In the compulsory stages of our educational system, almost half of the students (48%) study in concerted centres, most of them by Ikastolen Elkartea and Kristau Eskola. The aforementioned associations have shown their discrepancies with all the manifestations of Topagune, as all the identities and competencies of their centers will be lost. Therefore, a great social debate has been generated around the publication of the ikastolas; however, the debate has developed without a thorough analysis of the situation of the educational system. Therefore, before being in favor or against publication, certain aspects have to be contextualized.

First, most of the ikastolas emerged secretly during the Franco dictatorship; because education in Basque suffered persecution. However, after Franco's death, the ikastolas were legalized, but the right to study in Basque was not entirely guaranteed, because it was limited to the private sphere. This situation changed thanks to the Basque Public School Act of 1993. Some ikastolas decided to join the public network; from there, the whole society is guaranteed the right to receive Basque education. However, over the years, the differences between concerted and public ikastolas have been increasing in relation to the characteristics of the students who receive them. Cultural diversity is much more evident in public schools, which host many immigrants by presenting social inequalities.

Secondly, it would be a lie to say that the problems of the Basque education system will be solved by publication. Today, our educational system is governed by the laws of the Spanish State. To publish is to leave the educational projects of schools in the hands of the Basque Government to comply with State legislation; even if competence in the field of education is transferred through the Gernika Statute. Therefore, the solution is to develop a new law of own education, in which, based on community work, popular initiatives and linguistic immersion, a different knowledge of the public model in the CAV is established. In this way, there will be no partisan decisions by the political parties.

On the other hand, at present the birth rate is very low in Basque society and enrolment of immigrants is increasingly frequent in public schools. Concerted ikastolas will therefore have difficulty not closing classrooms in the coming decades. In addition, there is nothing more to do with the fact that in the Early Childhood Education stage several classrooms have not been opened in recent courses. Full center closures are also carried out – La Milagrosa de Barakaldo, Txomin Agirre de Ondarroa or Daughters of the Cross of Bilbao-. Therefore, the Federation of Ikastolas should rethink its attitude towards privacy to ensure the survival of the ikastolas that depend on it.

In conclusion, it must be acknowledged and admired that the ikastolas were created for the people and for the people, and that they have euskaldunized a large majority of Basque society, in a political regime of intimidation that denied many rights. Despite all that, in recent years there has been a broad view; they have become private companies, which has alienated them from society. Ikastolas should therefore not be companies, but public entities that reflect social diversity and offer a non-profit service. Through this situation they will reach new areas, such as immigrants to study at ikastolas. In any case, it is not necessary to put the concerted ikastolas in the spotlight to solve the problems of the Basque educational system. The key is the change of legislation on Basque education.