Deputy Minister of Education Begoña Pedrosa, together with the Director of Schools and Planning, Eugenio Jimenez, explained in Bilbao the main features and novelties of the new curricula that the Department of Education is preparing for the next academic year 2022-2023. These curricula will be for Infant, Primary, BDH and Baccalaureate. Although the Ministry has not yet published all the Royal Decrees - the Royal High School Decree has not yet been published, and the Secondary Education Decree was published last Wednesday, March 30 - the working group of the Department of Education has been preparing curricula for almost a year. All the essential information about the proposal made by the Department of Education has already been explained to the schools so that they can organize the next school year as soon as possible.

These changes will be applied in the next academic year 2022-2023, at the odd levels of each stage (ie 1st, 3rd and 5th years of Primary Education; 1st and 3rd years of Secondary Education, and 1st year of Baccalaureate), in the next academic year (2023- 2024) to extend to other levels.

This process allows us to continue working on more meaningful learning and to prepare teachers for this new challenge.

Competence-based learning

The new curriculum is a qualitative step in the learning according to the competencies that the Basque Education System has been developing in recent years. Schools are gradually being asked to implement organized work in areas (rather than subjects or areas), especially in Primary Education and the first cycle of Secondary Education. This new approach brings together the areas or lessons covered in each academic year. It involves working on the subject together and in an interdisciplinary way, with a global vision; it advocates a more practical model and a training assessment.

Thus, with this new curriculum development that encourages competency-based learning, the goal is to ensure the exit profile of students. To do this, they will combine social, personal and academic skills. The exit profile implies the ability to mobilize the learning acquired by students to meet all the challenges they will face throughout their lives, whether in the personal, family, social, academic and professional spheres.

In line with these objectives, the Department's proposal for lessons is general, and in terms of optional subjects, it can be completed by schools, giving them greater autonomy in terms of curriculum, but also in terms of pedagogy and organization.
Another important feature, especially for ESO and Baccalaureate, is the wide range of optional subjects proposed by the new curricula. This will allow students to better choose their academic career that matches their interests and future academic career. That is, students will be able to shape their school career.

The new curriculum also restores the importance that the tutor figure has traditionally had. The Department of Education’s education project is largely focused on ensuring the well-being of students, and that goal is essentially ensured through that figure of tutor.

Student in the center

Explaining the guiding principles of the design of these curricula, Deputy Minister Pedrosa emphasized the desire to influence functional learning, "an educational model that puts the student at the center".

“The change we are proposing is defined by the society we envision for the future. A more diverse, globalized society will bring about significant changes in all areas of life, both professional and personal. Naturally, they are happening right now. A pandemic, a war… will be changeable and unstable, hyperconnected… And all areas will be technologicalized and digitized, which will require more critical and humane citizens. We want to educate people who will be able to seek solutions from the perspective of social transformation, based on equality and social justice. Of course, people who will be properly prepared for their respective fields, as well as those who have the initiative and the ethical vision to renew our community ”.

Along with these, the new curricula also aim for a "more flexible school". "Flexible in structure and organization, and adapted to the way and interests of learning," explained the Deputy Minister.

Participatory process

In mid-2021, curriculum start-up groups were set up: a permanent group, a core competencies group and a curriculum group. A total of 58 people in these three groups, heads of the Department of Education, representatives of the Inspectorate, ISEI-IVEI, teachers and consultants from the Renewal Centers.

In September 2021, the participatory process of curriculum creation and dissemination began. In the same month, a conference on competencies and assessment was held, with around 750 participants. At the end of the year, six participatory sessions were held with 235 schools. These sessions were then joined by teachers from the Basque university system or other educational agents, such as the Inspectorate, the directors' associations, the employers of the charter schools, Berritzeguneak and other well-known agents.

Along with all this, a teacher training process has been carried out with the following objectives: to know the principles that guide the curriculum; to help implement the curriculum design itself, and to learn how to design best practices, their basics, and learning situations.

Along with all this, a teacher training process has been carried out with the following objectives: to know the principles that guide the curriculum; to help implement the curriculum design itself, and to know and exchange good practices and their basics.

It doesn’t start from scratch; This framework helps to deepen the changes that have taken place in the past and, above all, seeks to involve schools and provide more contextualised support. To date, more than 2,000 professionals have participated.
In terms of modules and training activities, the following key aspects stand out: collaborative teacher training, pedagogical leadership, methodological change, co-teaching, school planning, emotional field and training assessment.

The main features and innovations for each stage of education are as follows:

EARLY CHILHOOD EDUCATION

• It will ensure the child's personal development and personal well-being throughout the stage, while also ensuring the principles of equity and inclusion.
•  The relationship with nature will be strengthened, increasing the relationship with the environment.
• The child advocates a model of education in which harmony grows, discovering, enjoying and exploring the environment; communicating and representing reality.

PRIMARY SCHOOL

• It focuses on the transition from Primary to Secondary Education: organizational measures and new pedagogical measures.
•  It is proposed to move to a field-based system gradually. This promotes interdisciplinarity and a global approach to knowledge throughout the stage.
• Civic and Ethical Values, Level 6. He will have a direct follow-up in the first year of ESO, as he will teach the same lesson.
• The course "Knowledge of nature, society and the cultural environment" will be created, combining Natural Sciences and Social Sciences

COMPULSORY SECONDARY EDUCATION

•  The transition from Primary to Secondary Education will be taken care of, with organizational and pedagogical measures in mind.
•  As in primary education, it is proposed to pave the way for a field-based system for the first two levels of secondary education.
•  Civic and ethical values ​​lesson in the first year of secondary education (continuation of the work done in the 6th year of primary education). and Level 2 will be taught Natural Science (Biology, Geology, Physics and Chemistry).
• Technology and Digitization lesson in 2nd and 3rd year of Secondary Education. The lessons will be complemented by optional lessons in the first and 4th grade nights.
• Wide range of optional subjects at all levels: Second foreign language; Philosophy Applied to Personal and Social Development (Level 4); Digitization; Technology; Scientific culture; Physical and emotional health

HIGH SCHOOL

•  4 high school modalities: Science and Technology; Humanities and Social Sciences; General; Arts (Plastic Arts; Music / Performing Arts)
• All high school subjects have some common lessons:
•  Primary: Physical Education; Philosophy; Spanish; Basque; Foreign language; Tutoring.
•  Second level: History of Philosophy; Spanish History; Spanish and Spanish Literature; Basque Language and Literature; Foreign language; Tutoring.
• Each high school modality also has its own lessons or modality lessons.
•  The baccalaureate also has a wide range of optional subjects, including: a second foreign language; History of the Basque Country; Applied Anatomy; Photography; Painting; Laboratory techniques; Social anthropology; Oral communication in a foreign language… among many others. In this way, students are given the opportunity to shape an academic career that suits their interests.