L'Hospitalet de Llobregat will establish a new public school to accommodate all 160 students from the Sanfeliu school, which is set to close at the end of the current academic year. This move ensures the continuity of the educational project for children in the Sanfeliu neighbourhood.
The L'Hospitalet City Council and the Department of Education and Professional Training have agreed on this solution. They will accelerate the creation of a new centre within the Joanot Martorell educational hub project. This allows students to continue their studies within their local area.
David Quirós, Mayor of L'Hospitalet, expressed his satisfaction with the agreement. "These have been very intense days," Mayor Quirós stated. "Both administrations knew we had to find a solution as soon as possible." The collaboration between the council and the Department of Education led to this outcome.
Reasons for Sanfeliu School's Closure
The Sanfeliu school, a private centre, will end over sixty years of history. Its closure stems from the owner's medical leave and the building's failure to meet current educational facility regulations. The school is a single-line centre, serving approximately 160 children.
Teachers from Sanfeliu school previously described the closure news as a "shock" to the educational community. They lamented the "little room to do anything" they faced. The area also anticipates population growth from new urban developments in Sanfeliu and neighbouring Esplugues. This growth further stresses the demand for school places.
Addressing Classroom Saturation
The closure raised alarms due to existing classroom pressure in L'Hospitalet. Many centres in the northern part of the city, including the Sanfeliu neighbourhood, already operate with above-average student-to-teacher ratios. Around thirty extraordinary groups currently exist across the city's schools. The Sanfeliu neighbourhood has only one other educational facility, the public Pablo Neruda school, also a single-line centre. This limited capacity made it difficult to absorb all displaced students locally.
Developing the New Public School
The new public school will occupy the former Joanot Martorell school building. This site currently houses the city's pedagogical resource centre and educational services. The City Council and the Department of Education are now working to rehouse these services. They have a proposal ready, which they will discuss with the workers and managers involved.
Officials have visited the Joanot Martorell building in recent weeks to assess its suitability. Extensive renovation and adaptation works are necessary to prepare the space for its new role. These works must proceed quickly. The goal is for students to start the next academic year in the new facilities. However, this timeline remains uncertain.
Bureaucratic Challenges and Future Plans
Integrating the private Sanfeliu school into the public system requires a complex bureaucratic process. Mayor Quirós acknowledged this would be neither "simple" nor "quick." The future of Sanfeliu school's teaching staff also needs clarification. Mayor Quirós described this as a "complicated process" that must be handled "teacher by teacher." He added, "The will is for them to integrate, but the Department will evaluate each case."
Should the new centre not be ready for the upcoming academic year, the City Council and the Department will seek cooperation from Sanfeliu school's owners. They aim to ensure the school continues operations until the new facility is complete, preventing any disruption for students. This forward-looking approach seeks to guarantee a smooth transition for all affected families.
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Originally published by El Periódico Barcelona. Read original article.
