Three educational centres in Urgell have informed the Department of Education of their decision not to participate in a pilot scheme that would place plain-clothed Mossos d'Esquadra officers in schools. The institutes that formally requested to leave the plan are Institut Costafreda in Tàrrega, Institut Ribera d'Ondara in Agramunt, and Institut Lo Pla d'Urgell in Bellpuig, according to educational administration sources and school management.
The pilot programme also includes a fourth centre in the region, Institut Manuel de Pedrolo in Tàrrega. Its management declined to comment on whether it would continue or withdraw its participation.
Growing Opposition to Police Presence
The Department of Education confirmed last week that two of the 14 centres initially part of the project had formally requested to withdraw. These were a centre in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat and the Institut Costafreda in Tàrrega.
Sources from the USTEC teachers' union stated that five centres had voted and requested not to participate in the project. These included Institut Margarida Xirgu in L'Hospitalet, and Institut Jaume Callís, Institut La Plana, and Institut Comtat d'Osona in Vic, in addition to Institut Costafreda in Tàrrega. The Department of Education also reported that one centre not initially planned for the scheme had asked to join.
On Monday, sources from the Ministry did not confirm any new requests to leave the plan. They indicated that an overall assessment of the pilot programme would be made at the end of the year, when the trial is scheduled to conclude.
