Spain's progressive education experiment ends in PISA failure
Spain posts its worst-ever PISA results while its education system crumbles. Pedagogical failure or social engineering? We examine the debate.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
The failure of pogre education is now a statistical fact
The data doesn't lie: Spain is posting its worst-ever PISA results while the education system prioritises automatic grade promotion over real knowledge. The paradox of a model that sacrifices excellence on the altar of inclusion shows up in students reaching sixth form without basic skills, revealing a performance gap that has tripled since the EGB generation (Spain's old school system).
The pedagogy of emptiness and mediocrity
On the forum, the consensus is bitter: what many call 'pogre education' is nothing more than a social engineering tool to create mediocre citizens dependent on the state. The criticism goes beyond the lack of academic rigour; users point out how the removal of teacher authority and the politicisation of classrooms have left teachers defenceless against growing violence, with more than 3,000 teachers reporting daily assaults. The reality discussed in the thread is that of a system which, instead of educating, merely manages pass-rate statistics to hide an intellectual shipwreck.
Underinvestment or the collapse of an outdated model?
While the Generalitat (Catalonia's regional government) and other institutions blame a lack of investment to justify the teachers' strike, forum users point to a structural problem: spending is not the issue, but rather management and objectives. The gap between Spanish results and powers like Singapore or Estonia is not closed with a bigger budget, but with a complete redefinition of educational principles which, according to participants, have turned classrooms into spaces of indoctrination and disorder.
The debate remains open on the forum as to whether this decline is a miscalculation or a deliberate success on the part of those who prefer a population incapable of questioning the official narrative. The question left hanging is how much longer this system can hold before the skills gap becomes irreversible.
Related discussions on the forum
The data doesn't lie: Spain is posting its worst-ever PISA results while the education system prioritises automatic grade promotion over real knowledge. The paradox of a model that sacrifices excellence on the altar of inclusion shows up in students reaching sixth form without basic skills, revealing a performance gap that has tripled since the EGB generation (Spain's old school system).
The pedagogy of emptiness and mediocrity
On the forum, the consensus is bitter: what many call 'pogre education' is nothing more than a social engineering tool to create mediocre citizens dependent on the state. The criticism goes beyond the lack of academic rigour; users point out how the removal of teacher authority and the politicisation of classrooms have left teachers defenceless against growing violence, with more than 3,000 teachers reporting daily assaults. The reality discussed in the thread is that of a system which, instead of educating, merely manages pass-rate statistics to hide an intellectual shipwreck.
Underinvestment or the collapse of an outdated model?
While the Generalitat (Catalonia's regional government) and other institutions blame a lack of investment to justify the teachers' strike, forum users point to a structural problem: spending is not the issue, but rather management and objectives. The gap between Spanish results and powers like Singapore or Estonia is not closed with a bigger budget, but with a complete redefinition of educational principles which, according to participants, have turned classrooms into spaces of indoctrination and disorder.
The debate remains open on the forum as to whether this decline is a miscalculation or a deliberate success on the part of those who prefer a population incapable of questioning the official narrative. The question left hanging is how much longer this system can hold before the skills gap becomes irreversible.
Related discussions on the forum
- Uber and Microsoft are cutting back on Claude licences over outrageous costs: it's the canary in the AI coal mine · 67 replies
- Therapy with burbubot · 12440 replies
- In Spain it's no longer possible to get laid, even paying for it. · 38 replies
- Trump cancels everything. Things are about to get interesting? · 90 replies
Also available in: Deutsch
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (28 replies).
More summaries
-
Basque Country's reading scores collapse, putting its language model in doubt
The Basque Country spends more on education than any other Spanish region, yet its reading comprehension results are among the worst. Its language model is under scrutiny after the latest OECD data.
-
The lost education boomers brag about, and their spelling
The boomer who brags about being cultured writes with spelling mistakes. A viral tweet sparks a debate about Spain's education level and Franco-era nostalgia.
-
Bricks, scarcity and overcrowding: Spain's housing failure by design
Spanish housing prices are up 12.7% year on year while real wages barely grow. A million young people live in overcrowded conditions and the state collects record taxes.
-
Belgium's 9-year rentals: the fact that corrects Wyoming
Belgium's standard long-term rental contract is signed for nine years, not indefinitely: lifetime leases are 1% and require a notary
-
Aldama won't repay 3 million: the fuel VAT fraud scheme
The Aldama scheme in Spain will not repay the 3 million euros in VAT fraud. Tax authorities put the real diversion at 8.2 million, but the rest has vanished in tax havens.
-
'The Mandalorian and Grogu' flops: $81 million and Star Wars' worst opening
$81 million in Star Wars' worst opening under Disney. The franchise is sinking: is it the script, generational fatigue, or the agenda?