Valencian Education Budget and University Funding – Strategic Overview

Approximately a quarter of the Valencian Community’s public budget will go to Education, Universities and Employment, under Minister José Antonio Rovira. A total of 6,871.3 million euros will be managed, making Health the second largest beneficiary. In education, the biggest allocation goes to Primary School with 2,556 million euros for the entire Valencian Community, followed by Secondary School with 2,408 million. This marks an increase of nearly 200 million compared with previous allocations.

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When comparing the main expense item, Vocational Training stands out despite high demand. It faces significant disruption in accommodations, with only 55 million euros allocated in the Budget project presented this Monday, versus 109 million euros in 2023. Educational infrastructure also faces a setback, with 409 million euros in government grants and 298 million euros under new plans proposed by the administration.

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For example, 92 million euros were originally planned for 2024 in multi-year projects across the community, with 200 million earmarked by 2027. This translates to about 38 million euros next year in the Alicante province, compared to the 89 million euros projected by Botànic in its final phase (2023). The state allocates half of its investment to educational centers throughout the community.

New centers in the province

Among the nominal projects, the largest allocation for next year is 12.6 million euros for the construction of the Early Childhood and Primary School CEIP Santa Pola Nou Gran Alacant II, and 11.4 million for IES Azorín de Petrer for secondary education.

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In addition, 5.2 million euros are budgeted for CEIP Inmaculada Concepción in Torrevieja, 2.4 million for the Amanecer school in the same city, and 1 million euros for La Paz in Torrellano, with the same amount allocated to the José Tomás Guitar Conservatory in Alicante. Reforms receive 500,000 euros each for actions at UN facilities, and 267,000 euros are earmarked for Pere María Orts in Benidorm; 105,000 euros are set aside for CEIP La Almadrava in Alicante.

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When presenting the figures, the government highlighted a 4.9% increase in funding for concerts in education, bringing the total to 715 million, up from 681 million in the previous administration. The emphasis on harmonious education means that scholarships and aid will push the total to nearly 800 million.

Faculty

Resources for teacher training rise by 11%, and funds allocated for participation in education increase by 10%. Finance Minister Ruth Merino reaffirmed the commitment to multilingual education and confirmed that the promotion of the Valencian Language and Multilingualism remains at 19 million euros.

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In the expenses section, the main cost will be staffing, with the total now at 81,000 workers, up from 78,000 last year. Investment will focus on salaries for primary and secondary school teachers, with a projected rise of 10% and a total payroll surpassing 3.6 billion euros.

Botànic split Education and Universities in the past, but they have now been regrouped. The Consell of Mazón outlines 1,035 million euros for universities, with ongoing discussions about a multi-year funding plan to support campuses, classrooms, and new faculties as promised to university leaders.

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Research funding has shifted, with the prior offer of 127 million euros rising to 104 million euros under the current administration. Scholarships and grants include 31.5 million for university teaching and higher studies, plus 750,000 euros for Erasmus cooperation.

Sixty-six million less for employment

Under Minister Rovira, the third competition, now under a joint umbrella of Employment, Education and Universities, faced cuts as 200 million euros were allocated in 2024, compared to 266 million in 2023. The public Labora agency, which manages the Valencian Employment Service, shows a forecasted expenditure of 446.1 million euros for 2024, down from 552.9 in 2023. This marks a 106 million drop and a 19% decrease in percentage terms. After taking office, the Alicante councilor argued that linking employment to education would better align the labor market with student opportunities.