Andorra Endavant Challenges Government on Teacher Substitution Shortages

**Andorra Endavant challenges government over teacher substitution shortages in schools**

The deputy president of the Andorra Endavant parliamentary group, Noemí Amador, raised an urgent oral question in parliament on Thursday about persistent gaps in teacher substitutions across Andorran schools. She highlighted concerns from families and educators over recent months, where absences in specific subjects have forced timetables to be reshuffled and other teachers to cover extra classes. The party warned that such arrangements risk undermining teaching quality, curriculum balance, and student progress, with some subjects left untaught for extended periods and workloads rising for staff. Amador asked what steps the government is taking to ensure effective replacements.

Education Minister Ladislau Baró responded by acknowledging the challenges of teacher absences but stressed that coverage is achieved in the vast majority of cases while maintaining system quality. He cited data showing that for the 2024-25 academic year, out of 24,000 absence days, more than 22,000—or 91%—were covered using internal resources or the interims pool. This year, of nearly 20,000 days recorded so far, around 18,000 have been addressed, for a 90% rate. Baró noted that half of uncovered days stem from short-term leaves under 15 days, with longer ones handled through the pool or school staff. "Ideally, no day should go without a class, but these figures fall within a reasonable margin," he said, adding that coverage difficulties are common beyond Andorra. He reaffirmed the executive's commitment to educational standards amid family worries.

Amador countered that the situation still breeds unease among parents and suggested alternatives like deploying school management teams or ministry personnel for cover.

Separately, families at the French school in Canillo have filed a fresh complaint with the Citizen's Ombudsman over recurring shortages of educational assistants in nursery classes. The issue centers on a prolonged absence starting around 20 April in a Moyenne/Grande Section (ages 4-5) class, with the assistant briefly returning on 4 May before the gap resumed without a replacement. Parents reported disruptions to routines, hygiene issues—such as teachers unable to escort children to the bathroom without leaving others unattended—and safety risks, including limited supervision during naps or outings. "The children are not at fault and feel vulnerable," the school council stated on behalf of families.

This echoes complaints from October 2024, resolved by the Ombudsman in November after similar problems in classes for ages 2-5. The ministry then blamed limited interims availability and prioritized long-term vacancies, eventually filling the role. Despite follow-up monitoring, families say the structural issue persists, especially in early years, and have again urged the ministry for stable solutions.