Spain
Sources: OECD (2020[1]), TALIS 2018 Results (Volume II): Teachers and School Leaders as Valued Professionals, TALIS, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/19cf08df-en; OECD (2020[2]), "Learning remotely when schools close: How well are students and schools prepared? Insights from PISA", OECD Policy Responses to Coronavirus (COVID-19), OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/3bfda1f7-en; OECD (2019[3]), TALIS 2018 Results (Volume I): Teachers and School Leaders as Lifelong Learners, TALIS, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/1d0bc92a-en; OECD (2019[4]), PISA 2018 Results (Volume II): Where All Students Can Succeed, PISA, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/b5fd1b8f-en; OECD (2019[5]), PISA 2018 Results (Volume III): What School Life Means for Students’ Lives, PISA, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/acd78851-en.
Selected education policies for Spain
Dual Vocational Training Model (FP Dual, 2012)
►. Level of resilience: System
Spain’s dual vocational training model was designed to promote employability and improve qualification levels among young people. Subsequent regulations have sought to strengthen the links between companies and VET providers, and to increase the work-based learning component. As such, one of the key successes of the programme has been to promote the exchange of knowledge between these labour market partners and educational institutions. This process also benefits employers by delivering training that is suited to their needs (JP Morgan Chase & Co, 2016[6]). Participation in dual vocational training has increased as the quality and programme offer have improved, and young people have become more aware of the advantages of dual education. By 2016, 24 000 students in 10 000 companies were involved in dual education, an increase from 4 292 students and 513 companies in 2012/13. However, dual education still represented only 3% of VET students enrolled in dual training in 2016/17 (Sancha and Gutiérrez, 2019[7]).
Protecting young people from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was one of the key themes in the Alliance for Dual Training’s annual forum in 2020, where over 1 000 experts from across the country met to exchange best practices in dual training. The alliance has highlighted the need for national-level regulations to ensure the quality of dual training, and to provide better information for guidance counsellors, students and families (Belil, 2020[8]). Spain’s Plan for the Modernisation of VET (2020), which will create 200 000 additional VET places by 2023, includes measures to support the participation of small and medium enterprises in dual training (Ministry of Education and Vocational Training of Spain, 2020[9]).
Further reading: OECD (2018[10]), Education Policy Outlook 2018: Putting Student Learning at the Centre, OECD Publishing; Sancha, I. and S. Gutiérrez (2019[7]), Vocational education and training in Europe: Spain, https://www.refernet.es/docs/default-source/informesactividades/informe_nacional_2018_en.pdf (accessed on 1 April 2021).
Digital education programme (Educa en Digital, 2020)
►. Level of resilience: Broader learning environment
Spain’s Digital education programme (Educa en Digital, 2020) aims to accelerate the digital transformation of the education system, and respond to inequalities in access to digital technologies revealed in the early stages of the pandemic. The programme allocated up to EUR 260 million at the start of the 2020/21 academic year to provide devices and connectivity to educational institutions, with priority given to the most vulnerable students. It will also develop digital learning platforms for teachers, students, and education authorities. These platforms will make use of adaptive technology and artificial intelligence to deliver more personalised learning content for students and to enable teachers to monitor their progress more effectively. In addition, between March and June 2020, some 5 773 teachers took part in certified courses delivered by the National Institute of Educational Technologies and Teacher Training (INTEF). Its offer of courses for 2020/21 addresses topics such as equity and diversity, and the assessment of digital learning (Ministry of Education and Vocational Training of Spain, 2020[11]). A monitoring committee made up of representatives from different government agencies and autonomous communities will approve the annual calendar of actions and monitor progress on the objectives of the overall strategy.
Further reading: Government of Spain (2020[12]), Convenio para la ejecución del programa ’Educa en Digital’ [Resolution on the implementation of the Digital Education Programme], https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2020-7682 (accessed on 1 April 2021).
References
Belil, F. (2020), La oportunidad de reconvertir la FP Dual [The opportunity to transform dual education], https://www.eleconomista.es/ecoaula/noticias/10813469/10/20/La-oportunidad-de-reconvertir-la-FP-Dual.html (accessed on 1 April 2021). [8]
Government of Spain (2020), Convenio para la ejecución del programa ’Educa en Digital’ [Resolution on the implementation of the Digital Education Programme], https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2020-7682 (accessed on 1 April 2021). [12]
JP Morgan Chase & Co (2016), High-quality dual vocational learning in Spain: The Alliance for Dual Vocational Training, https://www.ippr.org/files/publications/pdf/nsaw-case-study-bassols-salvans-may2016.pdf. (accessed on 1 April 2021). [6]
Ministry of Education and Vocational Training of Spain (2020), Más de 10.500 docentes participan en los cursos en red 2020 del Instituto Nacional de Tecnologías Educativas y de Profesorado [More than 10,500 teachers participate in the 2020 the INTEF’s Online Courses], https://www.educacionyfp.gob.es/prensa/actualidad/2020/07/20200724-cursosintef.html (accessed on 1 April 2021). [11]
Ministry of Education and Vocational Training of Spain (2020), Plan de Modernización de la Formation Profesional [Plan for the Modernisation of VET], https://www.lamoncloa.gob.es/serviciosdeprensa/notasprensa/educacion/Documents/2020/220720-Plan_modernizacion_FP.pdf (accessed on 1 April 2021). [9]
OECD (2020), Learning remotely when schools close: How well are students and schools prepared? Insights from PISA, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://dx.doi.org/10.1787/3bfda1f7-en. [2]
OECD (2020), TALIS 2018 Results (Volume II): Teachers and School Leaders as Valued Professionals, TALIS, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://dx.doi.org/10.1787/19cf08df-en. [1]
OECD (2019), PISA 2018 Results (Volume II): Where All Students Can Succeed, PISA, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://dx.doi.org/10.1787/b5fd1b8f-en. [4]
OECD (2019), PISA 2018 Results (Volume III): What School Life Means for Students’ Lives, PISA, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://dx.doi.org/10.1787/acd78851-en. [5]
OECD (2019), TALIS 2018 Results (Volume I): Teachers and School Leaders as Lifelong Learners, TALIS, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://dx.doi.org/10.1787/1d0bc92a-en. [3]
OECD (2018), Education Policy Outlook 2018: Putting Student Learning at the Centre, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264301528-en. [10]
Sancha, I. and S. Gutiérrez (2019), Vocational education and training in Europe: Spain, https://www.refernet.es/docs/default-source/informesactividades/informe_nacional_2018_en.pdf (accessed on 1 April 2021). [7]