The education office of the Formentera Council has announced that the latest edition to the island's schools —the Camí Vell escoleta— will stay open all year long. Such was the announcement made by Susana Labrador, the local councillor of educational affairs. Labrador noted the nursery was originally intended as a relief resource for parents during the summer months, May to October. However, parents' requests that the school remain open even after summer's end were behind the decision to expand the service.

Start of the school year
Today was the first day of the 2015-2016 school year at the escoletes (nurseries) of Formentera. The two centres —Sa Miranda, which has seven classrooms, and Camí Vell, which has two— now boast 121 students and 15 teachers. At present seven available places at the Camí Vell nursery counter a twelve-child waiting list at Sa Miranda. Councillor Labrador announced that in the coming days families awaiting word from Sa Miranda would be contacted and given the opportunity to fill the spots still free at the Camí Vell escoleta. After that, the two schools' wait lists will be combined.

Escoletes represent the first stage in the educational process, creating a space where families can share the caregiving load. The goal is to forge an environment where growth can take place and children can be together. The spaces are conceived to facilitate creation, experimentation, fun and experience-sharing, all in a context that respects a variety of personal rhythms and styles.

Earlier today, members of the Formentera Council —President Jaume Ferrer and councillor of education Susana Labrador— had the opportunity to meet with several visiting representatives of the Govern Balear. From the autonomous government in Palma, education and universities councillor Martí March, education delegate in Eivissa and Formentera Margalida Ferrer, director general of planning and administrations Antonio Morante and director general of innovation and educational communities Jaume Ribas Seguí were all present for gatherings with the local administration.

Top priority: Sant Ferran school
At the encounter, President Ferrer articulated the requests of the local educational community. “The priority is building a new school in Sant Ferran. We have pushed for this for years and are anxious see it happen. The sooner the better,” Ferrer explained after the meeting.

Moreover, the Consell Insular de Formentera (CiF) administration appealed to Councillor March to make an effort in the coming year “to bolster the number of technical programmes available. These are programmes that have suffered cutbacks four years running”. Ferrer voiced his appreciation for the education councillor's visit and the amenable nature of the talks, which he noted were a far cry from those of the previous legislative sitting, “when not one of the three education office councillors in Palma made an official visit to Formentera”.

Cooperation between administrations
For his part, the Govern Balear's education councillor said the visit was necessary in order to start “formulating an idea about the real needs present here on Formentera”. Following such analysis, he said, the goal will be “to create a road map —for both the medium and long term— to meet those needs”. March indicated the smooth communication enjoyed by the Palma and Formentera administrations “will be key for our work together in the future”.

Councillor March assured that the 2016 budget would include funding for construction of the new Sant Ferran school, stating, “[this is] a plan we want to make sure moves forward. We will do whatever it takes to ensure it happens as soon as possible”. March also expressed his sympathy for the push to increase the number of technical courses of study available on the island — and to add an arts module to the batxillerat programme of Formentera's secondary school. Having completed the day's talks with Formentera Council officials, March went on to meet with representatives of the educational community on the island.

Representing the Formentera Council, social welfare councillor Vanessa Parellada and culture, education and patrimony councillor Susana Labrador, together with Marilina Bonet, social educator at the local office of education, delivered diplomas to graduates of the social and educational programmes ALTER and PISE for students enrolled at IES Marc Ferrer and aged 14 to 16.

Of the six students present at the start of the academic year, five successfully completed their coursework. Three were enrolled in the social and educational action programme, PISE, a joint project of the Balearic Regional Ministry of Education and the Formentera Council. The other three students pursued studies through ALTER, a programme of the Regional Ministry of Family and Social Services that also benefits from the collaboration of the Formentera administration.

Alternative training courses

The objective is to cater to the educational needs of secondary students with difficulties adapting to the traditional school environment. According to Susana Labrador, “successfully combatting dropout and motivational problems among students enrolled in much-needed training” is also a question of “seeking out more appealing learning techniques”. For her part, Parellada stressed before the youth present “the importance of studying now in order to assure better employment conditions in the future”.

Both ALTER and PISE push growth in three different areas. On the one hand, students are required to attend an educational centre in person in order to complete a basic set of subjects. On the other, they learn a vocation of their choosing, through placement at a local business. Lastly, the students work with an educator on a host of different subjects, including their own professional development and even healthy living habits.

The businesses that participated in the two alternative education programmes are Sonia hairstylists, the SEAT garage, Nàutica Pins, the Europa garage and the early-education nursery, Escoleta Sa Miranda.

This morning, tucked between the Casal de l'Esport of the municipal football pitch and the Camí Vell de la Mola, the new summer nursery opened its doors to the public. The first day was intended as an opportunity for one to three year old students and their families to discover the newly-fitted space and get to know their future educators.

The experience was positive for everyone involved. An adaptation period at the centre will begin tomorrow, during which time children attend the escoleta accompanied by a family member in order to progressively adapt to a 9 a.m.-to-2 p.m. time table.

End of construction

The nursery is an extremely luminous space that comprises three classrooms, a kitchen, a cafeteria, toilets adapted for infants and a small room for nap-time. Council workers put finishing touches on the centre yesterday, focusing on the installation of artificial turf and increasing available shaded areas.