Monday is a school holiday, too

Just in case your child neglected to inform you (which we doubt in the extreme), Monday and Tuesday are both school holidays. That Tuesday is May 1st and a national (bank) holiday, is no news (we wonder: Why is Labour Day, as it is in some countries, a day when very few people actually labour?), and that Monday, the day between (a puente, or 'bridge', in Spain) a weekend and a holiday is chosen by teachers' unions with too much power in Andalucía, is not exactly a surprise. Isn't it time that there were mass protests about the enormous amount of time off teachers get, when Andalucía schools remain at the very bottom of European education lists? (Actually, we did warn you about this one on our School Dates widget on the sidebar) PLEASE BE AWARE THAT ITEMS SUCH AS THIS MAY BE SUBJECT TO SUBSCRIPTION IN THE FUTURE but you can make a donation NOW, too! Please click here for more information on how to help us continue.

Anti-tax evasion measures, medical co-payments and more children in the classroom

King Juan Carlos's accident made the really big news of the week move over (Prospero's well-exercised cynicism wonders about smoke screens). Three significant things will be approved by tomorrow's weekly Cabinet Meeting, or already were at last week's: co-payment for medicines by pensioners -free medication until now- depending on their income, and the long-term unemployed; anti-tax evasion measures against under-the-counter cash payments to the self-employed; more children in the classroom. We will be looking at each of these, and more, measures being taken over the next few weeks. PLEASE BE AWARE THAT ITEMS SUCH AS THIS MAY BE SUBJECT TO SUBSCRIPTION IN THE FUTURE but you can make a donation NOW, too! Please click here for more information on how to help us continue.

"We won't be celebrating Father's or Mother's Day at school"

JIMENA/San Martín del Tesorillo (Source: TioJimeno) This note was handed to parents by their children at the school in Tesorillo. It reads as follows: "We wish to inform you that under the new instruction regulations, and because the concept of family is changing, we will not be celebrating Father's or Mother's Day, as we will be carrying out activities related to The Family Day, on May 15. Signed by the pre-school and 1st and 2nd grade teachers. " The father who sent it in to TioJimeno was unable to explain things to his child.

School's out until Thursday!

In the teachers' union's inimitable fashion, they have managed once more to get away with a very long puente (bridge: long weekend). Because Tuesday happens to be Día de Andalucía, and Monday, by sheer coincidence no doubt, is officially Education Community Day (Día de la Comunidad Educativa), they are also taking Leap Day, Wednesday February 29, off as well. Five consecutive days off without a thought for anyone else but themselves. No thought for parents, that's certain: if Mom or Dad or both are lucky enough to be working, how can they take time off to take care of the kids in the present unemployment climate? If they're not working, a day or three with either or both parents would probably do the children quite a lot of good ... but that can be a big if. (Tell us what you think: click on 'comments' below)

Extracurricular activities schedule changed

Click to enlarge

The primary school in Jimena, C.E.I.P. Nuestra Señora Reina de los Ángeles, has had its extracurricular activies schedule changed. Click on the image to find out more.

PP says school problems are an example of Junta cutbacks

JIMENA (Source: EuropaSur) The Partido Popular (PP) parliamentary representative for Cádiz, Carmen Pedemonte, stated yesterday that the problems at the Reina de los Ángeles primary school in Jimena is an example of the policy of cutbacks by the provincial Education Council. She met with parents involved in the effort to split a class of 28 first grade children, telling that it was not too much to ask as "previously (in other years) there has been that possibility for 6 year olds. Last year, she reminded them, there were two classes of 6 year olds and two regular teachers and one support teacher for both. This year one of the regulars and the support teachers have not been placed at the school. Worse, she added, is that the decision had been made at the Education Council in June, well before the September closure of the registry (matriculación), giving an incorrect total of students in each class. In her communiqué, Pedemonte said that the original classroom were too small to hold 28 students adequately and the library had to be relocated in order to make room for that many children. Pedemonte also promised to take the matter to the provincial parliament and try to find a solution.

Parents asking for your support

JIMENA The parents association at Jimena's primary school are out there today, at the entrance to our Friday market. They are asking for our support by signing a petition demanding the extra teachers that were removed at the beginning of the school year. The top of the paper translates as follows: "The signatories, fathers, mothers and neighbours of Jimena de la Frontera, are committed to making sure our children, the future of our home town, receive  DIGNIFIED EDUCATION, and therefore manifest their indignation to the Education Authorities, about the fact that the C.E.I.P. Reina de los Ángeles has not been allowed to make available the minimal resources necessary to guarantee the obligatory education of our children. Therefore, we demand that 1º de Primaria be split into two classes, which will ensure normal teaching possibilities and the support needed at the school." (See the petition below)>>>

No consideration, no sense

(File photo)

This is the daily scene at school rush hour, morning and afternoon. Day after day we see cars parked on the pavement, over a zebra crossing, sometimes for a few minutes, sometimes for longer (as long as it takes to have a coffee and a chat at the bar across the street). No consideration for mothers with prams who have to go into the street at the bottom of a hill, no consideration for anyone but themselves. And the Local Police ignore it from a distance of maybe twenty meters.

Kids go back to school today, parents protest outside

Parents protesting this mornin

JIMENA Having caught the attention of local and regional media, the protest at N. S. de los Ángeles primary school, all children went back to class today. Parents, principally those whose kids are affected by the fact of two 'missing' teachers remained at the gates this morning in protest together with others who support their cause. There is also a petition going around the village, awaiting signatures, that will be presented to the Ombudsman for Andalucía, José Chamizo. The education authorities have warned the parents who kept their children away from their legally obligatory classes that they could be prosecuted. The spokesperson for the protesting group, Lola Pino, said this morning that the response from the education authorities had brought their "spirits down". The group is well aware that there are another seven schools in the same situation, but Pino insists that "each case, each school is different."

Parents call indefinite strike

JIMENA Parents at Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles primary school in Jimena have called an 'indefinite strike' as from this morning. The decision was made on Friday, in protest against the fact that two teachers have been cut from what the parents consider necessary. One of them is a support teacher, whose presence would allow for splitting First Grade (Primero de Primaria), which at present has 28 children in a single inadequate classroom, and the other is a Special Needs assistant to attend to a couple of kids in the class. The strike meant that this morning the parents of the kids impacted most by the (usual, annual) cutbacks asked the rest of the school's parents for their support in not letting their kids into school. Some could not do so as they had to work, or hadn't heard about the circumstances. The strike is expected to continue despite th intervention of Mayor Guillermo Ruiz, who tried in vain to intervene. More photos below)

Primary school parents to come out 'on strike'

JIMENA Parents of children in First Grade (1º de Primaria) decided yesterday evening to hold a strike as from Monday, when they will not be bringing their children to school for an indefinite period. Having not received a satisfactory answer, in writing or even verbally, to their protests by 2pm, they held a meeting at 6pm and came to the decision. Protests are about the fact that they believe there are too many chidren, 28, in a classroom, particularly when several of them need special attention and a Special Needs monitor has been removed from the roster.>>>

Primary school year begins with protests from parents

JIMENA A new school year and out pour protests about too many students to a class and the removal of a Special Needs support teacher ... Nothing new, then. Year after year it seems to be the same problem, and we haven't heard from the Instituto yet. In any case, the A.M.P.A. (Asociación de Madres y Padres de Alumnos, i.e. parents association) Gamero (that's its name) is protesting about the need to split a First Grade class to obtain the legal limit of 25, instead of the present 28, and the lack of a Special Needs support teacher. The association has given the school authorities until tomorrow, Friday, at 2pm to come up with a solution. If none is forthcoming, there will be a meeting at 6 to discuss further protest measures. The parents involved ask the rest of parents for their support.

All school start dates, including holidays and lots of other information

The beginning of the school year 2011/2012 is almost upon us. It is, in fact, on the same dates for all state schools within the Junta's Consejería de Educación. Thus, teachers are due back at work on September 1, to prepare for the students, who will be starting classes according to the programme below. The Confederation of Parent/Teachers association says that the average cost of school materials for this year is around the €600 mark, depending on the age and grade of the student: the older the child, the more expensive it gets (but we knew that, didn't we?). In Andalucia, school books at the primary stage are free and/or recycled. If your child does not return the book at the end of the year, you will be charged for it. Starting dates are as follows:>>>

Everything you ever wanted to know about your child's education but couldn't understand the language

ANDALUCIA There are always a lot of questions about local education facilities at this time of year. We try to bring you up to date information but that is not always possible, if nothing else because it is all too often not available on a website (fortunately, our office is close to a school, so we are sometimes seen rushing across the street to get information...). One of the most frequently asked questions is How & when do I register my child for school? The answer is on a pamphlet (in English, French and Arabic) that gives you a general overview. In any case, (FIND OUT MORE ON CampoPulse!)

Last of the train trips to celebrate the arrival of the railway 120 years ago

JIMENA Estación de Jimena is now known as Los Ángeles (with an accent to avoid confusion with California) but that has not stopped the semi-attached village from celebrating the 120th anniversary of the arrival of the railway with related activities over the last few months, including train rides to Ronda for local schools. The last of these took place yesterday for the kids from the Reina de los Ángeles primary school, which they evidently enjoyed. This, of course, is the very best time of year for the (inexpensive) trip, but hurry before the absolutely awesome spring flowers turn brown in just a few days!

Truancy commission confirms downturn in number of truants in the municipality

I.E.S. Hozgarganta

JIMENA The municipal 'commission on absenteeism', charged with controlling and following up on possible truancy cases, met on Monday to review such cases in the municipality. At the meeting were Jesús Rodríguez, Councillor for Education (according to a Council press release but not according to a note by opposition party PA, about which see below), and representatives of the schools, Local Police and the so-called municipal Educator. The conclusion, as might be expected if not believed, is that the number of children missing classes consistently is down compared to last year. Rodríguez publicly congratulated all the schools in the municipality for it. (Prospero personal note: Don't, please don't get me started on the the 'truancy comission' or any of those attending these meetings in relation to this subject. Watch this space for a heartfelt review of the real situation coming next month.)

Council and forestry students to 'embelish' the village

JIMENA (Press release) Jimena Council and the forestry unit of the local high school, I.E.S. Hozgarganta have recently agreed to cooperate. The students will be able to have practical classes in the gardens, squares and streets of the municipality, and the latter will get what is being called an 'embelishment'. The Council will provide the necessary equipment, mostly planters and earth, and the Instituto will bring in some 3,000 plants with which to decorate the Historical Quarter and elsewhere. The Council has also agreed to make available one or more municipal plots where the students will be able to learn about planting and cultivation of native trees and plants. At the meeting that came to the above agreement, he possibility arose that in the future the students could work on reforestation and maintenance of the El Risco botanical garden, which has fallen into disrepair thanks to negligence and vandalism. (Read about El Risco on DominGo, our erstwhile colour supplement. See Jimena in Flower, from May 2008.)

Hozgarganta students to take part in Injuve programme

JIMENA (Press release) Some thirty students from the I.E.S. Hozgarganta secondary school (Instituto, photo), chosen through their latest school reports, will take part next week in a series of activities organized by the Junta's Injuve (Instituto de la Juventud, or Youth Institute) programme, under the title of Deja tu Huella en Andalucía (Leave Your Imprint in Andalucía), that takes place at Mollina, in Málaga from January 17 to 21. The Jimena school was chosen by a draw and the head teacher's office decided that first year students would be chosen for their results. The Council is paying for the bus to Mollina.

Tesorillo school gets a makeover

JIMENA/San Martín del Tesorillo (Press release/Photo: TioJimeno) Maintenance and repair work at the José Luis Sánchez primary school in San Martín del Tesorillo was completed recently thanks to €40,000 and the Junta's Plan Proteja. Both of the school's building underwent work that included improvements to the sports facilities, elimination of 'architectural barriers', reorganization of spaces to acquire an extra classroom and repairs to the front. The next work to be carried out here will begin when the school year ends in June and will consist of a new dining room, with a budget of €140,000.

Music schools annual Christmas show

(Press release) The Municipal Music Schools held their annual Christmas concert at the Casa de la Cultura Leopoldo de Luis in Jimena. This was a chance to display their progress throughout the term. (Note: This press release makes no mention -and it certainly should!- of the enormous amount of work put into the music school's studies and performance, not only of the orchestra but also of the choir, by Yvonne and David Higginbottom.)