July 2006

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THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF NAVARRE FINALLY LEGALISES THE BASQUE-MEDIUM SCHOOLS IN SOUTHERN NAVARRE

July 2006 – The Navarrese government and representatives of the Basque-medium schools (ikastolak) in the non Basque-speaking areas of Navarre have signed a protocol that establishes a general framework to secure the economic viability of these schools for the next years. The agreement was signed by linguistic policy representatives of the Government of Navarre, the Federation of Ikastolas of Navarre and the general secretary of CDN, the second party in the governmental coalition. It assigns 1,718,253 milion € for 2006; 1,798,724 for 2007; 1,758,489 for 2008, 1,758,489 for 2009 and 1,758,489 for 2010.

According to the Basque Language Act of 1986, the Basque language is not co-official in the non Basque-speaking area located in the South of Navarre and therefore the parents that wish their children to study in Basque must take them to the ikastolas, institutions that have no legal basis and are not regulated by the administration. The ratification of the agreement has been the conclusion of the negotiations that started in November 2005, which aimed at putting an end to the non-regulated situation of the these educational centres. The government economic support means the official recognition and legalisation for the ikastolas, which will be able to opt to public funding programmes, grants for students and training schemes for teachers.

Peio Mariñelarena, director of the Federation of Ikastolas of Navarre stated that this was a “historic and unparalleled” agreement, and reminded that it has been achieved thanks to the insistence of parents associations to educate their children in Basque.