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Carlos Mazón: “We guarantee 570,000 families the freedom to choose the language of their children’s education.”
- The Consell reaffirms its commitment to linguistic balance and coexistence between Valencian and Castilian, countering what it calls the “imposition” of the previous government.
- Mazón encourages families to participate in the consultation, emphasizing that greater participation will help tailor educational offerings to their preferences.
- The initiative is part of the broader effort to restore educational freedoms, which includes the implementation of a single school district and free education for children from 0 to 3 years old.
Valencia, February 2025
The President of the Generalitat, Carlos Mazón, has confirmed that the Consell is ensuring 570,000 families the freedom to choose their children’s education language. This will be facilitated through an online consultation, taking place from February 25 to March 4, involving students in the second cycle of Infant Education, Primary Education, and the first three years of Compulsory Secondary Education (ESO).
During the presentation of the language selection campaign, accompanied by the Regional Minister of Education, Culture, Universities, and Employment, José Antonio Rovira, Mazón emphasized that this consultation represents a significant step toward restoring families’ rights. He asserted that it empowers parents as primary decision-makers in their children’s education while ensuring students achieve full competency in both official languages by the end of their schooling.
Commitment to Linguistic Coexistence
Mazón reiterated the Consell’s commitment to linguistic balance and coexistence, contrasting it with what he described as the “linguistic imposition and confrontation” under the previous administration. He criticized the former Botànic government for enforcing a single-language model per school, which eliminated the coexistence of Spanish and Valencian tracks within the same institution. He argued that this model failed to acknowledge the region’s sociolinguistic diversity.
By contrast, Mazón defended the Law on Educational Freedom, which he says restores plurality, balance, and decision-making power to families. He called for broad participation in the consultation, stating that the more families take part, the better the educational system can align with their preferences.
The Ministry of Education aims to ensure that all students achieve competency in both Spanish and Valencian, regardless of their primary instruction language. The framework follows the principles of the Law of Us, promoting consensus and linguistic rights.
Consultation Details and Implementation
The consultation results will establish a balanced language distribution, ensuring that the difference between the primary instruction language and subjects taught in the other language remains within a 20% margin.
In Spanish-speaking areas, students will still study Valencian as a subject, though they may request an exemption from assessment. These families will also have the option to choose Valencian as the primary instruction language. Furthermore, all students, regardless of their chosen base language, will be allowed to take assessments in either of the two official languages.
Following the consultation, families will continue to exercise their right to choose during the admission process. This applies to children enrolling in school for the first time and those seeking to change schools, where parents can select both the institution and the language of instruction.
Restoring Educational Freedoms
Mazón highlighted that this initiative is a key milestone in restoring educational freedoms. Alongside the language consultation, the Consell has implemented a single school district, free education for children aged 0 to 3, and the Law on Educational Freedom.
The president also referenced additional measures, such as allowing students to choose the language of their exams in non-linguistic subjects, granting families the right to select the language of instruction, and ensuring that students with special educational needs can study in their preferred language. He emphasized that the system should adapt to students, not the other way around.
Another significant step is the automatic recognition of Valencian proficiency for students completing their studies in the region. Since the policy’s implementation, over 60,000 certificates have been issued within the first four months.
Public Awareness Campaign: ‘Two Languages, One Community’
The Generalitat has launched an awareness campaign under the slogan “Two Languages, One Community” to inform families about the language consultation process. The campaign, conducted in both Valencian and Spanish, underscores the importance of linguistic coexistence and balance.
The consultation will take place from February 25 to March 4, allowing families to freely choose their children’s primary instruction language in public or subsidized educational institutions. The selected language will play a central role in their education in subsequent years.
Voting will be conducted electronically via the website consulta.gva.es, which will be activated in the coming days. The platform will provide instructional materials, including manuals and video tutorials, to guide families through the voting process.
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