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Families and educators in Orihuela Costa have taken to the streets to protest the substandard conditions at a newly opened school, which consists entirely of prefabricated classrooms. The facility, dubbed “Lecture Hall No. 20,” serves as an extension of CEIP Playas de Orihuela and lacks permanent teaching staff, sparking frustration among local parents and teachers.
Several hundred demonstrators, including parents, students, and educators, marched along Calle Nicolás de Bussy to the Orihuela Costa Council offices, demanding improvements at the area’s third educational centre. Protesters called for “respect and the right to quality education, not overcrowding,” insisting on proper infrastructure and assigned teaching staff.
The Orihuela Costa Families Association, a key organizer, criticized the Ministry of Education, City Council, and Department of Education for what they described as a poorly planned and executed school opening. “The issue isn’t that a new school has opened, but how it was done,” the association stated, adding, “Children deserve more than makeshift classrooms and overstretched resources.”
Currently, teachers must travel five kilometres between CEIP Playas de Orihuela and its extension to conduct classes, further straining staff. CEIP Playas de Orihuela already accommodates 950 students and the new facility was intended to relieve pressure there and at CEIP Los Dolses, while also accepting new enrolments.
Community groups including the La Florida Neighbourhood and Business Associations, Orihuela Costa Felinas Colonies Association, Jóvenes Unidos Orihuela Costa, and the Families of Students from CEIP Playas de Orihuela, joined forces in the protest.
Beyond education, demonstrators also called for broader infrastructure improvements in Orihuela Costa. Their demands include the construction of a cultural centre, a sports facility, a public library, and programs addressing community needs, such as anti-bullying initiatives and educational workshops.
Main image courtesy> Orihuela Costa Libre
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