Transforming Education: The Spanish Experience

For anyone wishing to understand the process of transforming education in Spain, Inmaculada Egido has presents a detailed and encyclopedic description of events. Against historic background, this book discusses the impact of recent and current change, a process which has transformed education from a very centralised to a decentralised and democratic system. As the author indicates :In the last three decades education in Spain has been characterised by a profound transformation. Practically, there is no aspect of the educational system that has not been modified during this period, including both the administration and government of education and the structure and content of educational levels, the education financing and the training and work conditions of teachers…despite the delay in the starting point the achievements of the Spanish educational system in the last years are undeniable’. The autonomy of schools receives much attention not the least because of the changes which affect school governance, the participation of parents and the role of the school principal. The author concludes that, despite democratisation, there remains the need to further this process in relation to the internal functioning of schools and especially in relation to the actual participation of parents and pupils. PARTIAL CONTENTS: Acknowledgements; The Spanish Educational System; Historical Overview of the Spanish Educational System; Key Features of the Educational System; Legislation, Principles and Administration of the Educational System; Structure of the Spanish Educational System; Teaching Staff; An Overview of the Spanish Educational System: Light and Shade; School Management: Meeting the Challenges of the New Millennium.