The CCOO trade union has announced it will take to the streets of L’Hospitalet de Llobregat at the end of March to protest a deepening “educational emergency” in the city’s state schools, declaring that “teachers are fed up” with years of inaction from authorities.
Your browser does not support the video tag.
At a press conference on Wednesday, 4 March, the Workers’ Commissions (CCOO) union accused both L’Hospitalet City Council and the regional Generalitat de Catalunya of failing to address a chronic crisis of overcrowding and underfunding. This action follows more than a year after the city council itself declared an “educational emergency” during a plenary session in February 2025. However, the union claims this declaration has not led to meaningful solutions.
A System at Breaking Point
Mònica Bori, CCOO’s education delegate for L’Hospitalet, painted a stark picture of the city’s classrooms, highlighting the existence of 30 temporary, makeshift class groups. These are known as ‘grups bolets’ (mushroom groups), across primary and secondary schools. This figure, more than double the 14 such groups that existed four years ago, accommodates 805 students who could not be placed in regular classes.
Additionally, 590 students are in classes that officially exceed the standard student-to-teacher ratio. In total, the union calculates that 1,395 pupils in the city are taught in overcrowded conditions. “We are like sardines in a tin,” Bori stated bluntly.
The union also stressed that many of the city’s schools, designated as centres of “maximum complexity” due to their socio-economic context, lack the necessary resources to effectively integrate and support students with diverse needs. Such conditions are part of a worrying trend, highlighted by recent incidents including a case where a mother was investigated for allegedly assaulting a teacher in the city.
Northern Neighbourhoods Under Severe Strain
The crisis is felt most acutely in the northern neighbourhoods of L’Hospitalet, an area known as Samontà, which includes some of the most densely populated square kilometres in Europe. The lack of available land for new facilities here exacerbates the problem.
Carles Nadal, CCOO coordinator for the Barcelonès county, highlighted a staggering 38% school failure rate in this part of the city. He noted, “L’Hospitalet’s northern area, which is as large as Girona in terms of inhabitants, has a 38% school failure rate. Compared to the metropolitan area average of 20%, or the Catalan average of 15%… does anyone think it’s normal for this to last year after year with no solutions in sight?”
Furthermore, a demographic surge compounds the situation. According to municipal data, the northern districts have absorbed around 12,000 new residents in recent years. This influx, driven by international migration and residents moving from pricier Barcelona, has put immense pressure on public services and housing. As a result, 41% of foreign youths in the area live in overcrowded homes, as reported by El Periódico. This contributes to a wider social issue, with an estimated 8,000 young people aged 16-29 in the area who are neither studying nor working.
Calls for Action and Criticisms of Policy
CCOO is demanding the creation of five to six new primary school ‘lines’ (a full set of classes for one year group) and three for secondary education. However, the union has fiercely criticised the local government’s priorities, accusing it of favouring the construction of student residences and hotels over schools.
“The priority cannot be to build student residences and new hotels in neighbourhoods where schools are needed,” the union stated.
Nadal specifically condemned the recent announcement to build a new police station on a plot of land the union had hoped would be used for a new school. “It is a lack of respect,” he stated. “The solution is to educate the 8,000 young people in the city who have no way out.” He also criticised the council for not providing enough spaces for basic vocational training for students who do not complete secondary education.
The union is calling for a comprehensive “city pact for education,” bringing together the Generalitat, the city council, and social agents to address the crisis. The planned protest will take place on 26 March at 5 p.m. in the Plaça de l’Ajuntament. The union has extended an invitation to families, neighbourhood associations, and other local entities to join. This local action forms part of a wider wave of mobilisation across Catalonia, as teachers’ unions grapple with systemic issues and the regional government faces a challenging budget showdown impacting public spending.
