Mother and Daughter Face School Vacancy Crisis in Tenerife
Paola André Muñoz and her eleven-year-old daughter arrived in Tenerife from Colombia in April, settling in Puerto de la Cruz. Despite it being the end of the school year, the girl completed her Year 5 classes at Punta Brava School in the local area, seeking a new start like many Central and South Americans in Spain.
However, by late summer, Paola’s work and financial situation forced her to relocate to the south of the island, where she found better job prospects but faced a critical issue: her daughter currently has no school placement.
Now living in Amarilla Golf, in the municipality of San Miguel de Abona, the local primary school, CEIP Llano de Las Naciones, would typically be the correct match for her daughter due to their address. After returning from a trip to Andalucía, Paola sought to register her daughter there, intent on settling down in southern Tenerife.
Initially, she was told to submit an application, but later discovered her daughter could not join Year 6 at CEIP Llano de Las Naciones due to a lack of available places, despite being informed by a local inspector that she had a right to enrol at that school.
As an alternative, officials suggested she consider enrolment at CEIP Juan Bethencourt in Las Zocas, about 8 kilometres away. Paola has begun the process to register as a resident in San Miguel de Abona, but her appointment is not until early October, leaving her without a resident voucher.
Moreover, the daily commute would require her daughter to take two buses, resulting in around three hours of travel time, making it impractical for Paola, who is also juggling work. Another option, a school in Los Abrigos, is about 6.2 kilometres away, yet still presents significant transport challenges.
Paola insists that her daughter be enrolled at a nearby school, highlighting the struggles faced by families adapting to new circumstances.
In response to inquiries, a spokesperson from the Education Department confirmed on Monday that there is indeed a shortage of places at CEIP Llano de Las Naciones, which has led to transfers to other schools. They stated they are exploring options to expand transport lines to assist with these transfers.
Meanwhile, Paola and her daughter continue to wait for a resolution as the school year begins and her daughter prepares for the crucial Year 6 before moving on to secondary school.
