The Minister of Education, Esther Niubó, is temporarily stepping down from her post for medical reasons.

Another setback for the Catalan government. After President Salvador Illa left the hospital on Friday to continue his recovery from osteomyelitis, which has forced him to take two weeks off, Education Minister Esther Niubó announced on Sunday that she will have to temporarily step down from her post for medical reasons. The Education Department explained the situation in a statement, saying that Niubó will undergo "surgery in the coming days and a subsequent recovery that will require her to delegate the management of the department for the next few weeks." The minister also explained in a statement published in X that after several medical tests, she will finally have to undergo surgery, which will entail "a necessary break." "For a few weeks, I will be forced to significantly reduce my daily activity. I need this time to fully recover and resume my work as soon as possible and in the best possible condition," the message reads. Niubó added that she is "in good spirits" and expressed "utmost confidence" in the medical team treating her. The Prime Minister, Salvador Illa, responded to Niubó's announcement a few minutes later with a message of support. Also in a post on X, he said: "Sending you all my love. I wish you a speedy recovery. Stay strong and keep your spirits up. We hope to see you soon!" No direct replacement

At this point, the Government does not foresee appointing a direct replacement to cover Niubó's duties while she is out of the public eye. According to the statement, the day-to-day operations of the Ministry will be handled by the three Secretaries of Education. Therefore, the department will be led by the Secretary General of the Department of Education and Vocational Training, Teresa Sambola, the Secretary of Vocational Training (FP), Francesc Roca Rosell, and the Secretary of Educational Improvement, Ignasi Giménez Renom, who assumed the position just three months ago. The three will assume the Minister's executive decisions. Regarding the Minister's functions and the department's representation, these will be assumed by the Minister of the Presidency, Albert Dalmau. For the past two weeks, Dalmau has coordinated the executive branch during Isla's convalescence, and she will still need to continue treatment for another eight weeks. The statement from the Department of Education adds that the public events that would normally be the responsibility of Minister Niubó will be carried out by all members of the Government while she is absent from her post.