Parents in La Cala del Moral protest to demand resources for pupils with special educational needs

The protest follows on from complaints by parents who argue that classes began this academic year with only one post filled for the role of Technical Staff for Social Integration (PTIS) – the acronym used to refer to those who provide extra support, to facilitate the inclusion and independence of pupils with specific educational needs.

Furthermore, they criticised the fact that, at the start of the school term, this PTIS’s working hours were set from 12 until 2pm, meaning that it is the family members who have to look after the children in areas such as mobility, personal hygiene or accompanying them during break times.

The regional education department has explained that, during the current school year, the school has 10 pupils who require support from PTIS staff and that the school currently has two such staff members: one employed by the Andalusian public education agency (APAE), working 15 hours a week – an increase of 5 hours compared with the previous academic year – and another who is working 30 hours a week at the school.

This latter professional is due to be replaced; the school clarifies that the procedure has already been completed and the new staff member is expected to take up their post in the coming days.

The situation at the Gregorio Marañón school in La Cala is not the only controversy to have marked the start of the school year in Rincón de la Victoria. In Benagalbón, families of pupils in Years three and four of primary school at the Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria school protested against the delay in installing four prefabricated classrooms intended for these pupils while "serious shortcomings" at the school are being addressed and against the problems arising from their temporary relocation to other premises.

In this case, the department of education has announced that the prefabricated classrooms will arrive by the end of this term and that Rincón de la Victoria town hall was responsible for the foundations and utility connections for the modules, which have now been completed.

The regional government has said that it is responsible for "planning, administrative procedures and procurement" for their installation. The temporary relocation, they clarified, is taking place in the school’s main building, with all necessary safeguards in place and coordinated by the management and technical staff of the Andalusian public education agency.

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