The Mairena del Aljarafe Town Hall opposes the decision of the Junta de Andalucía to eliminate the Basic Vocational Training in Cooking and Restoration from IES Atenea, aimed at students with special educational needs.
The Mairena del Aljarafe Town Hall has raised its voice against the Junta de Andalucía for the suppression of the Basic Specific Vocational Training in Cooking and Restoration that was taught at IES Atenea. This education was aimed at students with special educational needs (SEN) and its elimination, according to the Town Hall, represents a severe blow for families seeking tailored training for their children.
The local government, led by socialist Antonio Conde, believes that the measure is a further step in "the progressive weakening of public vocational training" in the locality. "The Junta de Andalucía has not incorporated any new public training cycle in Mairena for 26 years," laments the mayor in a statement. The decision also adds to the shortage of resources in the area of hearing and language, which has already led to community mobilisations.
A strategic sector without a replacement
The elimination of the cycle is particularly controversial in a municipality where hospitality and restoration are key sectors for the local economy. "Businesses repeatedly convey to us the difficulty in finding qualified professionals," state the Town Hall. Paradoxically, while this training is being eliminated, the business fabric demands workers trained in cooking and restoration services.
The Town Hall reminds that Mairena del Aljarafe is still waiting for the construction of its fifth public institute, an infrastructure that the government team considers "essential" to meet demographic growth and educational needs. "Vocational training should play a significant role in that new centre," municipal sources point out.
A curtailed right
For families with children with special educational needs, the disappearance of this cycle means fewer opportunities for equal access to the job market. "It is a training that provides them with real tools to find employment," explain those from the Town Hall. The public offer of adapted vocational training is decreasing, and private alternatives are not always within reach of all budgets.
The Town Hall demands the Junta de Andalucía to rectify and maintain the public offer of Basic Specific Vocational Training. "We cannot allow young people with disabilities to be left behind," they insist. Meanwhile, the locality continues to mobilise to demand more educational resources and inclusive training that meets the demands of the job market.
The final decision is now in the hands of the Department of Educational Development and Vocational Training, which must assess whether to heed the Town Hall's request or maintain the cycle's suppression. The residents of Mairena del Aljarafe await a response that, for now, has not arrived.
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