The Government of Catalonia has announced, for the third consecutive year, a school voucher for primary and secondary students: a financial aid of 60 euros per student to purchase school supplies. At EPIC, the Association of Independent Private Schools of Catalonia, we welcome the allocation of resources to families, but we deeply regret that, once again, all families who have chosen independent private schools are excluded.
Although the measure aims to alleviate the impact of rising education-related costs —a reality that also affects families in the private sector— the established criteria leave out a significant portion of students. “It is incomprehensible that a policy aimed at reducing inequality is based on the ownership of the school rather than the real needs of families,” says Àlex Cerdà, president of EPIC.
The association argues that the school voucher should be a universal measure. And if priorities must be set, they should be based on household income, not the type of school attended. For this reason, EPIC calls for the aid to also include students in primary, secondary, and vocational education from the private sector.
In this regard, Cerdà reminds us: “While some state-subsidized schools continue to charge illegal fees and violate the principle of free education, it is surprising that the Government keeps favoring these centers, which repeatedly breach regulations and profit at families’ expense.”
EPIC urges the Government to ensure fair, equitable, and coherent treatment in granting the school voucher. If the criterion of ownership is maintained to include subsidized schools as beneficiaries, we demand that private schools also be included.