Lleida, Catalonia, is part of a wider call from school directors across the region for the Catalan government to put a stronger “culture of effort” back at the centre of education. The directors say this is linked to student well-being, self-esteem and academic success.
The letter was signed by 1,343 public school directors and sent to President Salvador Illa, Education Minister Esther Niubó and parliamentary groups. It asks for a deeper debate on education, beyond day-to-day resource management, and for a clearer focus on learning values.
Under the heading “Values in education for well-being-learning”, the directors argue that effort, perseverance and self-improvement should again be central to school life. They say well-being is not the absence of difficulty, but the ability to face challenges and feel satisfaction from overcoming them.
The manifesto says restoring a culture of effort is “fundamental to guaranteeing emotional well-being, self-esteem, and the integral growth of the student”. The directors link this approach to resilience and to the ability of children and young people to cope with academic demands.
The group also points to the latest PISA 2022 results, saying the decline in educational outcomes shows the need for urgent change. They say Catalonia recorded some of the weakest results in Spain, especially in mathematics and science. For more on regional education coverage, see our Catalonia news tag.
Among their proposals is a more clearly defined curriculum, designed by experienced classroom teachers, and a stronger role for families. The directors want the Education Department to promote training for parents from nursery school through secondary education, with practical tools for respect, empathy and boundaries. They also call for the education budget to reach 6% of GDP, as set out in the Catalan Education Law (LEC), and for a stable “country pact” to avoid constant policy changes. The collective says it expects an executive commitment before 19 June.
