SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE 17 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Education Department of the Canary Islands Government estimates that approximately 2,400 unaccompanied migrant minors are currently enrolled in public schools across the islands, which represents less than half of those under its care.
This information was disclosed by the Education Minister, Poli Suárez, during a parliamentary committee meeting, where he presented figures from the end of September and explained the challenges in accurately counting these cases due to the absence of “marks” in the databases that would identify students as unaccompanied minors.
“We compile this information based on an approximation that we derive from certain criteria, which, although it may contain inaccuracies due to registration errors or incorrect categorisations, provides a reasonable estimate,” he indicated.
He further mentioned that the majority of these cases are found in Compulsory Secondary Education and the Basic Grade training cycle, with fewer instances in Primary Education, whilst emphasising that the goal is primarily to address the educational needs of these individuals, particularly their acquisition of the Spanish language.
Last year, for instance, public education in the Canary Islands supported around 2,200 minors, most of whom were under 16 years old, providing a total of 1,886 hours of language assistance, which is 787 hours more than the previous year.
Suárez also highlighted that “specific initiatives” are being implemented to adjust content for minors who in some instances have “never” attended school, as they originate from regions in Africa where educational access is limited.
He stressed the importance of ensuring that those aged between 16 and 18 receive vocational training that equips them to “remain and work within European territory.”
“This is merely the surface of an iceberg representing a substantial volume of human and bureaucratic challenges, and it illustrates the pressing need for other autonomous communities to share the responsibility of accommodating minors as well as the financial co-responsibility of the State in terms of investment.”
The minister estimated the financial requirements for helping minors learn Spanish at five million euros; however, he noted that this amount is “insufficient” given the high demand, prompting him to request additional funding from the central government.
STUDENT TRANSFERS: A SOCIAL WELFARE ISSUE
During his committee presentation, Suárez took the opportunity to mention a letter from students of a 1st year ESO class in El Sauzal (Tenerife), who expressed their “sorrow” regarding the transfer of a fellow migrant from their centre to another island.
He clarified that the transfer “does not fall under” his department’s remit, but rather that of Social Welfare. He acknowledged the “tribute” paid by the students through their letter and shared instances from the municipality of Artenara, in Gran Canaria, where about twenty minors have been welcomed and have even participated in the local patron saint festivities, showcasing a “model of integration.”
Melodie Mendoza (ASG) commended the “lesson” exhibited by the students from the Tenerife institute and cautioned that the process of integrating migrant minors is not being executed “effectively” due to resource limitations.
“The challenges we face in the Canary Islands are evident. It’s not just, I insist, about addressing their immediate needs upon arrival but also about successfully integrating them, which requires teaching them our language and providing qualifications for their subsequent personal development. We recognise that the Canary Islands requires more commitment from the state government to adequately care for all these minors as they rightfully deserve,” he asserted.