"The quality and equity of education are essential and inseparable to make education help the development of each person's talent, to ensure true equality of opportunities and to forge a modern economic model that provides prosperity for all," he said. The minister said in her speech before the team of the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MEFP), representatives of the educational community and autonomous communities.
Among the objectives of this new stage, Isabel Celaá has stressed the importance of public education as the backbone of the right to quality education for all and has been explaining each of the main lines of its management.
The Minister of Education and FP has requested a country agreement to continue moving towards a modern, future FP, with a permanent offer of new degrees and with 200,000 new places in four years. In his speech, Celaá has announced the extension of the powers of this ministry in matters of VET. "We are going to unify the competences of VET of the education system and for employment under the pavilion of the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training," said the head. It is about promoting a unified system of Vocational Training, something that had been promoted for decades.
The Ministry of Education and FP will thus assume three powers so far in the hands of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security: the development of standards and reports on the National System of Professional Qualifications; the preparation and updating of Professional Certificates and evaluation tests and, finally, the incorporation of the National Reference Centers network to the Vocational Training centers network.
"I aspire to have a great agreement for a Vocational Training country. The FP in Spain cannot be a second category route, the FP has to be strong. We have to ensure that our fellow citizens have a degree, professional training that allows them circumvent these disruptive changes we are experiencing in our globalized society, "added Celaá.
Likewise, the minister has announced the impulse of the universalization of early childhood education 0-3, a key stage to improve educational success and to prevent school failure. Education at these ages also has a great impact in the fight against child poverty and for conciliation and equity.
Regarding scholarships, the head of Education has stressed that these are the most powerful mechanism for the education system to act as a social leveler, ensuring that economic reasons do not translate into barriers to study. The minister has announced the culmination of the reform of the system to improve management and expedite the concession processes.
Digitalization of teacher education and status
The minister said: "Education must respond to the challenge of the digitalization of society and the economy. A process that is changing everything, even the way of generating knowledge." The ministry will emphasize the development of students' competencies, taking care not only of the techniques, but also the development of critical thinking, the ability to communicate, to cooperate with others or creativity.
"We will finish the work of the new curriculum, which will go from encyclopedic content to competency content, more modern, flexible and relevant and adapted to the personalization of education," added Celaá.
Finally, the head of Education has announced the prioritization of the teaching career to establish pedagogical leadership. "We will modernize a professional career that incorporates continuing education, research and teacher evaluation."
The minister has concluded her intervention by appealing to the concerted work of the MEFP with the autonomous communities, with the educational community and social agents.
