More families from state-subsidized schools in Bizkaia, whose students were affected by failing grades –including zeros– in the Basque language exam of the University of the Basque Country's (EHU) entrance tests (PAU), continue to file lawsuits. Sources from the law firm Picaza Legal have confirmed that approximately twenty more lawsuits were filed in the last 48 hours, bringing the total from their office alone to around fifty. The administrative litigation route is initiated after the educational authority disregarded the administrative appeal.
Meanwhile, the Bilbao-based law firm awaits a court ruling on the urgent interim measure requested to exclude scores from the Basque Language and Literature II test from the average grade for the pre-enrollment process. For the University of the Basque Country, the deadline is next Tuesday, June 30. The courts could thus adopt the interim measure or initiate proceedings, forwarding the issue to the educational authority for a response within a specified timeframe.
“"We have the utmost disposition to improve the process."
The Minister of Education, Begoña Pedrosa, has called for a reduction in 'tension' surrounding the 'specific and exceptional' situation that occurred with this year's Basque language exam for the University Entrance Tests (PAU), and has emphasized the 'utmost disposition' of her department and EHU to 'improve the process'.
Pedrosa referred to the high number of zeros obtained in the Basque exam by students from several state-subsidized Model A schools in Bilbao, which led to 1,788 revision requests. Following these, the number of zeros decreased (from 168 to 108), but with 'no significant increases' in the revised grades. The minister reiterated the explanations given on Monday in a parliamentary commission, noting that 'similar episodes' have occurred in other autonomous communities with different subjects.
She recalled having already concluded a working meeting with EHU representatives, made it clear that 'the disposition of both institutions to improve the processes is maximum,' and warned that it is necessary to 'commit to lowering tension and looking forward.' In this regard, she mentioned that the debate has moved to social media 'with a level of tension that is not helpful' and insisted on the need to act 'with responsibility and prudence,' preventing 'a specific and exceptional situation from leading to sterile confrontations' and a 'questioning of the educational system, the university, and the Basque language'.
