Basque education system
Encyclopedia
Education in the Basque Autonomous Community
is entirely free from the age of 3 , and compulsory between 6 and 16 years. The majority of students are educated in the Basque language
.
For children aged 0–3 years, and is available at a subsidised cost.
For children aged 3–6 years, and is both free and optional.
For children aged 6–12 years, and is compulsory and free.
For children aged 12–16 years, it is compulsory. Upon completion of this level of schooling, students with satisfactory grades have the option to continue their education for two additional years. Students will either pursue academic study in preparation for university entrance examinations, or follow a professional training course. Those who fall short of the satisfactory grades may attend professional initiation programmes as a precursor to entering the job market.
and the Jesuit-owned private University of Deusto
are two of Spain's most prestigious.
The Opus Dei
-governed University of Navarre has a campus in San Sebastian.
The newest one is the University of Mondragón, part of Mondragón Corporación Cooperativa.
in 1975, and the option of an education entirely in Basque
became available in schools called ikastola
k. There are four types of school differentiated by their linguistic teaching models:
Basque Country (autonomous community)
The Basque Country is an autonomous community of northern Spain. It includes the Basque provinces of Álava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa, also called Historical Territories....
is entirely free from the age of 3 , and compulsory between 6 and 16 years. The majority of students are educated in the Basque language
Basque language
Basque is the ancestral language of the Basque people, who inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in northeastern Spain and southwestern France. It is spoken by 25.7% of Basques in all territories...
.
Levels of schooling
- Infant education
For children aged 0–3 years, and is available at a subsidised cost.
- Infant education
For children aged 3–6 years, and is both free and optional.
- Primary education
For children aged 6–12 years, and is compulsory and free.
- Secondary education
For children aged 12–16 years, it is compulsory. Upon completion of this level of schooling, students with satisfactory grades have the option to continue their education for two additional years. Students will either pursue academic study in preparation for university entrance examinations, or follow a professional training course. Those who fall short of the satisfactory grades may attend professional initiation programmes as a precursor to entering the job market.
Higher education
In addition to many institutions which specialise in vocational training, the Basque country boasts 4 universities. The public University of the Basque CountryUniversity of the Basque Country
The University of the Basque Country is the only public university in the Basque Country, in Northern Spain...
and the Jesuit-owned private University of Deusto
University of Deusto
The University of Deusto is a Spanish Jesuit University, with campuses in Bilbao and San Sebastián, Spain.-History:The University of Deusto first opened in 1886, having been founded because of the Basque Country's desire to have its own university and the Society of Jesus's wish to move its School...
are two of Spain's most prestigious.
The Opus Dei
Opus Dei
Opus Dei, formally known as The Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei , is an organization of the Catholic Church that teaches that everyone is called to holiness and that ordinary life is a path to sanctity. The majority of its membership are lay people, with secular priests under the...
-governed University of Navarre has a campus in San Sebastian.
The newest one is the University of Mondragón, part of Mondragón Corporación Cooperativa.
Ikastolak
The Basque Country was granted autonomous powers with regard to education following the death of FrancoFrancisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
in 1975, and the option of an education entirely in Basque
Basque language
Basque is the ancestral language of the Basque people, who inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in northeastern Spain and southwestern France. It is spoken by 25.7% of Basques in all territories...
became available in schools called ikastola
Ikastola
An Ikastola is a type of primary and secondary school in the Basque Autonomous Community, Navarre and the French Basque Country in which pupils are taught either entirely or predominantly in the Basque language...
k. There are four types of school differentiated by their linguistic teaching models:
- X - 0.6% of students. Education is entirely in SpanishSpanish languageSpanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
. - A - 26.2% of students. Education is entirely in SpanishSpanish languageSpanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, with Basque as a compulsory subject. - B - 23.0%. Education is partly in Basque, partly in Spanish (usually mathematics and reading/writing).
- D - 50.2%. Education entirely in Basque, with Spanish as a compulsory subject.