The Basque Government and EUDEL have reached a landmark agreement to update the funding system for municipal euskaltegis. This marks the first such agreement between the two institutions, aiming to provide stability and a long-term vision for the financing of municipal euskaltegis under the Municipal Law. The new model will update the current system, simplify administrative management, and bolster the planning capabilities of both municipalities and the euskaltegis themselves.

The agreement was presented this morning at the Basque Government headquarters in Vitoria-Gasteiz. Participants included Ibone Bengoetxea, Vice-President and Minister of Culture and Linguistic Policy; Esther Apraiz, President of EUDEL and Mayor of Derio; Maialen Gurrutxaga, Mayor of Elgoibar; Iñaki Olalde, Councillor of Oñati; and Jon Ugarte, Deputy Mayor of Irun. Also present were Aitor Aldasoro, Vice-Minister of Linguistic Policy; Jokin Azkue, Director of HABE; and Joseba Intxausti, Director of EUDEL. During their remarks, they highlighted the value of the agreement and the institutional collaboration among various municipalities and political sensitivities concerning the Basque language.

Ibone Bengoetxea emphasized that this agreement is not an isolated measure but part of a broader transformation of the adult Basque language learning system, driven by the Basque Government within the JAUZIA GARA strategy. "We want to achieve a qualitative leap in the social use of Euskera, and for that, a priority area is linguistic knowledge and proficiency," she stated. She argued that "if we want to advance in the use of Euskera, we need policies of gratuity, but also a solid and stable network of euskaltegis."

Esther Apraiz, in turn, highlighted the institutional collaboration in responding to a long-standing demand from Basque municipalities and praised the consensus reached among different municipal sensitivities: "Today, we take a fundamental step to safeguard the funding of municipal euskaltegis and consolidate them as an essential and accessible public service for thousands of citizens." She also noted that the agreement strengthens linguistic rights, social cohesion, and equal opportunities.

Municipal representatives agreed on the joint commitment to financial stability and planning capacity for both municipalities and the centers themselves. They also defended the importance of public euskaltegis in community life and for ensuring access to Euskera in all municipalities.

The agreement between HABE and EUDEL establishes a new funding system for municipal euskaltegis starting from the 2026-2027 academic year, with an initial duration of four courses. The new model will replace the previous system, which was based on teacher salaries and seniority, with a more simplified and homogeneous model linked to teaching activity and hours taught.

The objective is to reinforce the financial stability of municipal euskaltegis, simplify administrative management, and adapt the system to the current reality of the euskaltegi network. Furthermore, the agreement includes transitional compensation mechanisms to prevent economic losses for euskaltegis that might be affected by the system change.

The Basque Government will increase the funding allocated to municipal euskaltegis, rising from 14.1 million euros in the 2025-2026 academic year to 15.1 million euros in the 2026-2027 academic year, representing an increase of over 7%.

Currently, the 38 municipal euskaltegis serve approximately 9,000 students and employ around 500 professionals. In total, the euskaltegi network—both public and private—encompasses over 35,000 students in Euskadi.

The agreement also includes the launch of joint enrollment campaigns and the creation of a monitoring committee between HABE and EUDEL to analyze the future needs of municipal euskaltegis and continue improving coordination between the two institutions.

The agreement presented today falls within the JAUZIA GARA strategy, promoted by the Basque Government to foster a qualitative leap in the social use of Euskera. Within this strategy, a priority area is linguistic knowledge and proficiency. The Basque Government's goal is for more and more people to learn Euskera and, crucially, for more people to be able to function in Euskera in their daily lives.

In recent years, the Basque Government has promoted various free access policies to reduce economic barriers to learning Euskera. Data indicates these policies are yielding results. For instance, the free A1 level: after its implementation, the number of people passing that level increased from 1,963 to 2,831 in a single academic year, a 44% rise, with nearly 900 more individuals taking their first steps in learning Euskera.

The Euskara Bonua initiative, recently introduced by the Basque Government, also aligns with this framework, aiming to promote not only access to euskaltegis but also continuity in learning and the acquisition of real-world usage skills.

Furthermore, the Basque Government is already working on the future system for accrediting private euskaltegis, with the aim of strengthening the stability of the entire adult Basque language learning network and ensuring a quality service for citizens.