The Minister of Education, Culture, and Universities, Carmen Ortí, has defended the "neutrality" of the educational inspection in the Valencian classrooms after the modifications introduced by the accompanying law to the budgets of the Generalitat for 2026, and has emphasized that "fulfilling the Constitution" does not constitute "ideology," but rather a demonstration of "respect for the legal order."
Ortí expressed this during an interpellation by the Compromís deputy, Gerard Fullana, in the plenary session of Les Corts this Tuesday afternoon. The parliamentarian of the Valencianist coalition demanded "parliamentary discipline" and asked her not to "follow her script."
Fullana questioned the Education Minister about the absence of investigation files against "ultra-Catholic schools that segregate students by sex," centers to which the Consell "has renewed the agreement worth 70 million euros." "We have provided you with the LOMLOE, which states that what you did is not legal," he reproached, insisting that it is the Conselleria that must investigate and not Compromís.
Likewise, he criticized that the Valencian Executive "changed the law" in the middle of August to enable a channel that allows, in an "anonymous" way, to report teachers. "Red carpet to investigate the teaching staff, but it turns out that when we prove a non-compliance of 73 million euros in concerted schools that illegally segregate students, you say no, that no investigation should be opened there, that Compromís should investigate," he reproached Ortí.
In the same vein, he accused the minister of having "accepted Vox's proposal to expand the Inspection to investigate teachers without reason" and, however, not sending inspectors "to the door of these educational centers where it is clearly seen that boys or girls enter." He also asked her if she is aware that the Prosecutor's Office of the Court of Auditors "has opened investigation proceedings against those responsible for renewing the full payment to these schools."
Religion, Edificant Plan, and infrastructures
The deputy of Compromís has also questioned Ortí about the "pedagogical objective" of increasing the hours of Religion in Primary education and what advantages it brings for the students. At the same time, he has criticized the councilor for appealing to the Supreme Court the rulings issued in July by the High Court of Justice of the Valencian Community (TSJCV), which upheld the delegations of works of the Edificant Plan to the municipalities approved by the Botànic while it was in office.
Fullana has cited the case of a center in Benicarló (Castellón) where "a piece of staircase broke while a student was going down it." "Do you think it is normal for a center where pieces fall, like those from a staircase, not to have any action taken?", he has raised, calling this episode "unusual."
In this context, he has denounced the "disaster" in educational infrastructure of the PP's Consell and has asked for specifics about the volume of works approved in the budget exclusively by the current Valencian Government since July 2023, as well as the degree of execution of those projects.
Calendar, budget, and facts
For her part, the councilor has maintained that the general line of her department is based on "accompanying each student, each teacher, and each family with calendar, budget, and facts." Regarding the calendar, she has highlighted the agreements reached with the trade union organizations within the multiannual plan 2026-2029. On the budget, she has emphasized that the Consell allocates "the largest in history." And regarding the "facts," she has stressed that each teacher has received in their paycheck "the first regional improvement since 2007."
Ortí has added that the Valencian public education now has more teachers, more infrastructure "and more future than ever," and has replied to Fullana that, during the eight years of the Botànic government, "it was budgeted, but not even half was executed." "Now you promise millions and millions of works a year, but when you could do it, you didn't," he has reproached him.
Regarding the concerted network, he has explained that if currently the concerts are renewed "it is because they did it before" the officials of the previous Executive, with "eight consecutive calls." On educational inspection, he has specified that its functions are outlined in "Article 181 of the Organic Law of Education: to supervise, evaluate, advise, and guarantee the right of the entire educational community with neutrality."
In relation to the challenged actions of the Edificant Plan, the councilor has asked "how can a government that has lost the elections commit 65 million from the budget of the next government." "That is what we have asked the Supreme Court, no work, no school, nor any institute has been contested. Some delegations signed by a caretaker government in July 2023 have been appealed," she has specified.
Exchange of reproaches in Les Corts
In his turn of reply, Gerard Fullana has accused Ortí of "lack of respect and parliamentary category" for limiting himself to reading a text without responding to the questions raised, and has insisted on knowing if he has received "notification from the Court of Auditors where proceedings are opened for the 'Opus Gate' case." He has also reiterated his interest in the works approved in the current legislature, assuring that "in three years the execution is 0.0": "Do you know how many the PP has delegated in three years? Three, and all three in PP municipalities."
After warning Ortí that she will be remembered for promoting measures "typical of fascism" against teachers —"her legacy will be a bad memory"—, he has presented a dozen educational proposals that, he has assured, will be carried out by "the next government of Compromís."
Among these initiatives, he has listed the reduction of ratios, the reactivation of the offer for 0 to 3 years and vocational training, labor improvements for teachers, more resources and personnel for inclusion, an increase in the budget for Education, the launch of more than 100 new schools each year, and the "unapologetic" promotion of teaching in Valencian. He has also promised that the families of the students will not be "a weapon against teachers" in the face of the "wars that Vox and its friends have put us in."
In his final intervention, Ortí has criticized that Fullana has pronounced "a script built on falsehoods" and has denounced the "double standard" of the left with the educational concerts renewed by the Botànic. Regarding the centers that segregate by sex, he has claimed the "freedom" of families to choose their children's school.
Regarding the subject of Religion, the councilor has pointed out that Compromís intends to "remove it from the school schedule and that does not depend on the Conselleria" because "the Organic Law of Education prevents it." And about Valencian, she has defended "the freedom to choose." "You like votes when you win them. When not, you go to the Supreme Court," she reproached Fullana, whom she accused of wanting to "decide for families, impose the center, the language, what is studied and where it is studied." "This Consell does not want to decide for anyone," she concluded, betting on "accompanying" instead of "imposing."