PODCAST: Education crisis – Strikes, PISA, and what comes next

Teachers demand more investment as government seeks new consensus on education

Teachers protest in Barcelona as part of a strike across Catalonia, May 12, 2026
Teachers protest in Barcelona as part of a strike across Catalonia, May 12, 2026 / Joan Mateu Parra
Catalan News

Catalan News | @catalannews | Barcelona

September 30, 2026 03:07 PM

September 30, 2026 03:13 PM

Catalonia's education system is facing a turbulent start to the new school year, with teachers continuing to strike over pay, working conditions and investment in schools.

In this episode of Filling the Sink, Lorcan Doherty and Cillian Shields look at the background to the long-running dispute between teachers' unions and the Catalan government, and hear from teachers and parents taking part in the latest mobilisations, as well as education officials responding to the strikes.

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We also look at Catalonia's controversial PISA results. A "technical incident" meant that almost a quarter of selected students were exempted from the tests, making the results invalid for comparison with previous years or other regions.

And with further negotiations, a proposed increase in education spending and more mobilisations on the horizon, what happens next for Catalonia's education system?

Get in touch with the podcast team: fillingthesink@acn.cat 

Listen to more episodes of Filling the Sink below or find out more here.

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