The error in the allocation of education places was caused by a person "deliberately, voluntarily, and consciously."

BarcelonaThe 2025/26 school year will start normally. This was confirmed by the Minister of Education, Esther Niubó, in an interview on Catalunya Ràdio. The head of the department stated that after the error that has invalidated the allocation of 57,000 places The teaching staff is concerned about "the intervention of a person who made a unilateral decision" that "violated regulations." Someone ignored the department's resolutions and caused "serious incidents": 800 positions that should have been filled by civil servants were instead reserved for temporary teachers. Following complaints from some teachers, the Education Department halted the process and will announce the new assignments early next week after working all weekend to resolve the situation. In total, some 3,000 teachers out of 57,000 candidates will see their assignments change. However, according to Niubó, it will be for the better: "Given the exclusion of these 800 positions, it will improve."

The Department of Education has opened an information file to determine whether the "indications" they have right now are confirmed and whether the actions of a person who duly violated regulations are behind this situation. "We will investigate all responsibilities," announced Niubó, who later, in another interview on RAC1, emphasized that she has "indications" as to who that person may be. If the investigation ultimately confirms that person's involvement in the "deliberate, voluntary, and conscious" decision that led to the error in the allocation of places, she will "obviously" be dismissed. In this case, the minister made it clear that this was not a "computer error" and that the "credibility" of the Catalan education system "cannot depend on decisions made by individuals who violate regulations."

The USTEC-STEs union requested that the start of the school year be postponed to September 12 in order to "compensate" those affected and the administrations, who do not have the necessary staff to plan the new school year. In response to this request, Niubó was emphatic: the school year will begin on September 8th for preschool, primary, and secondary school: "We cannot allow the impact we are taking on as a department to cause further harm to families." Following the minister's remarks, the union questioned whether the incident was caused by a single person. USTEC-STEs spokesperson Iolanda Segura asserted that "someone allowed this to happen" and that it is a "considerable tragedy." In this regard, Segura stated that it is "malpractice, negligence," but that "irregularities have occurred every year."

Once the consequences of the error in the allocation of places for the 3,000 affected teachers have been analyzed, the union will file a formal claim for compensation. Segura gave the example of teachers who had already made a down payment, which they will not be able to recover, for accommodation in their assigned municipality, which they may not need if they move to another school.

The head of the department will appear before the Catalan Parliament on Tuesday to give explanations, and a Central Board of Directors meeting has already been convened for Friday.