> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://barna.news/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Catalonia Raises Education Spending to 4.2% of GDP - URL: https://barna.news/catalonia-raises-education-spending-to/ - Published: 2026-10-27T18:44:24.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-27T18:44:24.000Z - Description: Education minister outlines two-stage plan to reach 6% of GDP by 2030, starting with parity to Spanish average. - Author: Barna.News - Tags: education ## Investment Reaches 4.2% of GDP in 2026 Education investment in Catalonia has increased from 4.05% of GDP in 2024 to 4.2% in 2026, according to Minister Esther Niubó. She announced the figure on Tuesday 27 October 2026 at a press conference following the first meeting with parliamentary groups on education financing, attended by Economy Minister Alícia Romero. The data, drawn from the Department of Education and incorporating spending by municipalities and supramunicipal bodies, reflects a rise in public investment in education. According to Idescat, the official statistical agency of Catalonia, the figure includes funding for universities and local educational initiatives. --- ## Two-Stage Plan to Reach 6% Target Niubó confirmed the government’s commitment to reach 6% of GDP for education, a pledge made by President Salvador Illa and embedded in the Llei d’Educació de Catalunya (LEC) since 2009\. She outlined a two-stage path: first, matching the national Spanish average of 4.46% of GDP in education spending by 2030, and second, progressing toward the 6% goal. > The 6% is a guiding principle and the roadmap to be undertaken, but we must be careful not to tie it rigidly to economic fluctuations. , Esther Niubó, Minister of Education She stressed that while the 6% target remains central, it should be complemented by other indicators such as spending per student and the proportion of the Generalitat’s total budget allocated to education. This approach aims to ensure that every euro spent addresses actual system needs. - Current investment: 4.2% of GDP (2026) - Spanish average: 4.46% of GDP (2024) - Target: 6% of GDP (progressive, beyond 2030) --- ## Next Steps and Ongoing Debate The meeting with parliamentary groups, excluding Vox, marked the start of a broader consultation. A second meeting is scheduled before the end of the year. The Department of Education plans to publish a detailed roadmap in the coming weeks, aligning with ongoing national debate. Niubó also rejected attempts to blame schools for recent disturbances in Barcelona, stating: *Schools must be schools*. She clarified that vandalism and social unrest are not educational issues and should not be attributed to the education system. Further details on budget allocation and implementation timelines will be developed in coordination with the Department of Economy and Finance, whose 2024 Annual Financial Report confirms Catalonia’s GDP growth at 3.6%. --- *Sources:* [*La Ciutat*](https://laciutat.cat/catalunya/catalunya-aposta-pujar-inversio-en-educacio-fins-42-pib-2026-dibuixa-dos-trams-cap-6%5F903806%5F102.html?ref=barna.news)*,* [*Generalitat de Catalunya*](https://record.bibliotecadigital.gencat.cat/bitstream/handle/20.500.14345/2333/informe-financer-anual-2024-en.pdf?isAllowed=y&sequence=3&ref=barna.news)*.* --- ### Related on Barna.News - [25% of Barcelona Schoolchildren in Vulnerable Situations](https://barna.news/25-of-barcelona-schoolchildren-in/) - [Catalonia's Education Debate Focuses on Inclusion, Teachers, Families](https://barna.news/catalonia-s-education-debate-focuses-on/) - [84,674 Start Vocational Training in Catalonia](https://barna.news/84-674-start-vocational-training-in/) - [PP Plans Spanish Boost in Catalan Schools](https://barna.news/pp-plans-spanish-boost-in-catalan/)