The Tomás Zárate Social and Cultural Neighborhood Association has expressed its outrage at the decision by the Canary Islands Government's Ministry of Social Welfare, Equality, Youth, Childhood, and Families to close the Las Folias Nursery School. Residents and the social fabric of the neighborhood view this measure as a direct attack on a community already facing numerous deficiencies.

The president of the neighborhood association described the closure as an "attack on a working-class neighborhood," emphasizing that the school is not an expense but a "fundamental right." According to the association, the closure deprives humble families in Zárate of a crucial tool for their children's early education and for parents' work-life balance.

The association refutes the demographic argument put forward by Fernando Clavijo's administration, which justifies the closure due to a declining birth rate. They point out that the birth rate in Gran Canaria is higher than in Tenerife, a province that paradoxically has double the number of public centers. They consider closing centers in areas with higher birth rates and fewer resources to be a "reckless act" that leaves vulnerable children unprotected.

It is alleged that while other islands receive millions in funding for private nurseries, public infrastructure is being dismantled in neighborhoods like Zárate. The association also accuses the Government of failing to comply with a Non-Binding Proposal (PNL) approved in the Canary Islands Parliament, which called for the maintenance and strengthening of public nursery schools.

In response to this situation, the Neighborhood Association has called for a large protest on Friday, June 5th, in the Zárate neighborhood. They are urging citizens, social platforms, and the media to join the mobilization, which will also be supported by workers from other nursery schools on the island.