The plan drawn up by the City of Pamplona will make it possible in the next three years to significantly reduce the places in Basque in children's schools. Fathers and mothers have requested meetings with all political groups, both in the City of Pamplona and in the Government of Navarra, as well as with educational and social services, with the aim of changing this change or giving a satisfactory solution to the real demand.

Parents of children's schools have criticized that places in Euskera will be reduced to 14% in the next three years. As a result, “72 infants will not be able to obtain a place in the public system this year”. According to the group, “this cut goes against linguistic rights and feelings of citizenship. In the same survey, organized by the City Hall, the families concerned also ask to expand the linguistic possibilities and 36% are interested in their sons and daughters learning Basque.”

In the meetings held with the different political groups, the association of fathers and mothers has conveyed their concerns and called for solutions. “If the City of Pamplona does not intend to maintain the current offer of places in Euskera for the year 2020-2021, it is the responsibility of the Government of Navarra to ensure these places and offer alternatives to the affected families”.

For all these reasons, “we ask that solutions be sought to maintain the number of places available: Modification of the offer of children's schools of the Government of Navarre, establishment of disused centers, grant of places in private children's schools, transfer of premises for the creation of cooperatives…”.

“We do not accept ambiguous answers, resort to deadlines or rely on technical problems. Technical and time-bound changes have been seen as a result of the pandemic. Therefore, now, taking into account the data of the survey requested by the City Council, we believe that it is possible to modify the number of places, adapting it to the demand that has been raised in it or maintaining the current one, is a matter of political will”. For this reason, they urge the Government of Navarra and the City of Pamplona to “put on our skin and seek urgent solutions”.

Navarre Sum with the intention of reducing the number of seats

For his part, the mayor of Pamplona, Enrique Maya, said on Thursday that the intentions of the mayor of the capital of Navarre are different, as in the next year the offer in Euskera will be reduced. According to Joseba Asiron's team has, for political reasons, raised 40% of the seats in Euskera and he will now take them to 22%, to adapt them to what the courts dictated and to the offer".