The Education and Universities Commission of the Parliament has given the green light to an initiative that demands the Government to implement financial aid to reduce the cost of school transport in the Balearic Islands, considering that the current rates are disproportionate in light of "the continued increase" in prices and the shortage of available buses.
This measure is part of a non-legislative proposal (PNL) presented by the MÉS per Mallorca deputy, Maria Ramon, which was debated this Thursday within the parliamentary commission.
The first two sections of the PNL, which propose setting a specific regulated rate for school transport and ensuring a minimum quota of vehicles reserved for educational centers, were tied in the vote and will ultimately be decided in the plenary session of the Parliament.
The approved initiative also urges the regional Chamber to ask the Government to create a system of advance planning and a protected calendar for school outings, with the aim of ensuring the availability of transport during peak demand periods.
Similarly, the text demands that the regional Executive strengthen and adapt regular public transport so that it can respond to educational needs, and that it recognizes that activities carried out outside the classroom are part of the right to education.
Ramon has detailed that the proposal arises in response to "the continued increase" in bus prices and the lack of vehicles, especially during peak season, as reported by MÉS in a statement.
"Educational needs cannot be subordinated to the interests of the tourist market. The right to education must be above any speculative logic," emphasized the deputy.
Strengthening the fight against school bullying
In the same session, the Education and Universities Commission has supported all points of another PNL, in this case defended by the PP deputy Marta Pereira, focused on strengthening prevention and action measures against school bullying.
Through this initiative, the Parliament urges the Government to expand awareness, prevention, and early detection programs for school bullying and cyberbullying aimed at the entire educational community, focusing on the importance of communicating any bullying situation early and asking for help at the slightest indication.
PNL also requires the Executive to guarantee continuous, specific, and updated training for teachers, management teams, and guidance staff in the area of school coexistence, bullying, and cyberbullying, and to ensure that the current action protocols are applied correctly and uniformly in all educational centers in the Islands.
Other points of the text demand the Govern to reinforce psychological and socio-educational support resources for students, as well as to study possible improvements in the intervention protocols in cases of bullying.