School directors across Catalonia, including many in Lleida, have called for an end to unproven pedagogical innovation and for education policy based on methods with a proven impact on student success. More than 1,300 primary and secondary heads signed a letter sent to Catalan President Salvador Illa, Education Minister Esther Niubó, and parliamentary groups.
The letter describes the current situation as an educational emergency and asks for a major change in direction. The signatories want a sharp reduction in the number of innovation programmes promoted by the Department of Education, and say attention should focus on practices that can show a real effect on learning.
They argue that schools are under strain because of too many new programmes, repeated model changes, and a lack of resources. In their view, this has contributed to weaker educational results and left the system overloaded.
The directors point to the 2022 PISA results, which placed Catalonia among the lowest-performing territories in Spain for mathematics and science, as evidence that the current approach is not working. They say they are not against improvement, but reject what they call empty innovation.
The manifesto says any new pedagogical proposal should be based on scientific evidence and include internal evaluation tools to measure results. It also says curriculum development should be led by experienced classroom teachers, not officials removed from day-to-day school life. More Catalonia news
The signatories also want more autonomy for schools, so each centre can choose training and projects that fit its own needs. They link that demand to a call for a stable national pact and for compliance with the Catalan Education Law, which sets a target of 6% of GDP for education investment.
The appeal ends with a deadline, asking the government to formalise an executive and budgetary commitment by 19 June. The 1,343 signatories say the priority must be rigour, legal certainty, and teaching that helps students learn, rather than short-lived trends and unproven pedagogical experiments.
