Morning classes and after school activities axed

FORTY-TWO public schools in Almeria will lose their ‘morning classes’ and extracurricular activities. According to the Andalucian Education and Cultural Company Association (Aaeeco), the Junta de Andalucia has not paid for the last school year’s ‘morning classes,’ which start at 8am and allow parents to drop their children off an hour before classes begin. Neither have they paid for the after school activities. According to the head of administration at Aaeeco, Beatriz Talaveron, the Junta owes these companies approximately 16 million euros throughout Andalucia. By law these companies have the right to end their contract with the Junta unilaterally after four months of unpaid services. Talaveron also stated that many ‘morning class’ providers will not be continuing their services this year in September because they have no way to pay employees for their work. The situation may lead to many job losses and problems for parents who rely on extracurricular activities to be able to work and care for their children.

 In response to the multiple complaints that have reached the Education Council in the past months, a Junta education spokesperson recently said that “the payments will be made as soon as there is liquidity” and that they have not been made yet due to “the difficult and extreme financial situation we are in.”