The spokesperson for Iniciativa por La Gomera (IxLG) and island councilor, Aarón Rodríguez Ramos, announced the submission of a motion to be debated in the plenary session of the Cabildo Insular de La Gomera on June 5, 2026. The objective is to create an Island School Council, a permanent participatory body designed to enhance coordination, dialogue, and educational planning on the island.
This proposal was previously put forward by IxLG in 2024 but did not result in a political agreement. However, recent events, such as the initial announcement by the Canary Islands Government's Department of Education to eliminate the Bachillerato de Artes in La Gomera for the 2026/2027 academic year—a decision later rectified—have further highlighted the need for stable institutional mechanisms for educational participation and planning.
“"What happened with the Bachillerato de Artes has made it clear that La Gomera cannot continue reacting to important educational decisions when they are practically already made. We need permanent structures for participation, coordination, and planning that allow us to anticipate problems, defend the island's real needs, and avoid unnecessary uncertainty for students and families."
IxLG emphasizes that the right to education is a fundamental pillar of the welfare state and that educational legislation has historically recognized the importance of the participation of educational communities. They argue that the future Island School Council should be a stable space for representation of the entire Gomera educational community, integrating students, teachers, parents, administrative and service staff, town councils, and other stakeholders involved in education.
The goal is to channel demands, anticipate needs, and improve territorial cohesion in education. "La Gomera's educational reality is complex and diverse, with unitary and rural schools, early childhood and primary centers, secondary education institutes, vocational training, and different territorial realities. Precisely for this reason, we need a coordinated island vision that ensures all voices are heard," stated the spokesperson.
Rodríguez Ramos recalled that Canary Islands' regional legislation already includes mechanisms for social participation in education, such as the Canary Islands Law on Non-University Education and the Law on School Councils of the Canary Islands. IxLG focuses on the role of cabildos as institutions for cooperation and assistance to municipalities, noting that many municipalities in La Gomera lack fully constituted Municipal School Councils.
"We want the Cabildo to play an active role in coordination and support. An Island School Council can become a useful tool for channeling proposals, debating educational needs, coordinating policies between administrations, and strengthening the real participation of those who experience education daily on the island," he added.
The island spokesperson insisted that education should be kept separate from improvisation and unilateral decisions, advocating for participatory planning to design La Gomera's educational future "with dialogue, consensus, and an island vision." He concluded that the controversy over the Bachillerato de Artes demonstrates the need to avoid relying solely on external decisions without strong dialogue from La Gomera, and to build permanent institutional spaces for active participation in defining the island's educational priorities.
