Address
Eurydice España-Redie (Red española de información sobre educación)
INEE: Instituto Nacional de Evaluación Educativa
Ministerio de Educación, Formación Profesional y Deportes
Gobierno de España
Paseo del Prado 28 4º planta
ES-28014 Madrid
Tel: +34 91 745 92 32
Email:
eurydice.redie@educacion.gob.es
Website
https://www.educacionyfp.gob.es/mc/redie-eurydice/inicio.html
2026
New regulation of educational inspection
In February 2026, Royal Decree 68/2026 was adopted, regulating educational inspection in Spain and updating the organisation and functioning of this service within the education system.
The aim of the regulation is to strengthen the role of educational inspection in supervision, guidance and support for schools, thereby contributing to improving the quality and equity of the education system.
The Royal Decree also regulates aspects such as the functions of inspectors, their training and evaluation, as well as the organisation of inspection services by the education authorities.
In addition, it establishes the system of access to the Corps of Education Inspectors. To apply, candidates must be career civil servants belonging to a teaching body and must demonstrate a minimum of eight years’ teaching experience. The selection process includes a competitive examination, assessment of merits and a probationary period with specific training.
2025
Emergency Training Plan in Non-University Educational Centres
In June 2025, a mandatory civil protection emergency training plan was approved for all pupils in non-university educational centres. Its implementation will begin in the 2025/2026 academic year.
The aim is to ensure that students and teaching staff know how to act in risk situations, ranging from floods or earthquakes to fires or technological accidents.
Each school year, specific hours will be devoted to this training (a minimum of two hours in pre-primary and primary education, and four hours in secondary, upper secondary and vocational education). The content will be adapted to each educational stage, with special attention given to people with disabilities and vulnerable groups.
In addition, teachers, civil protection staff and volunteers will receive specialised training. To support this process, a repository of accessible materials has been created in several official languages, available online: Repositorio de recursos (Resource repository).
The full cost of the plan will be covered by the competent ministries, with no additional funding required from the autonomous communities.
Regulation to Promote Healthy and Sustainable Eating in Schools
In April 2025, Royal Decree 315/2025 (Real Decreto 315/2025), was published with the aim of improving school meals and promoting healthier and more environmentally sustainable eating habits. The new regulation will enter into force in April 2026.
In particular, the decree establishes minimum nutritional quality and sustainability criteria to be applied in the contracting of food and beverage services and supplies in schools, as well as requirements for the planning of school menus.
The new regulation applies to centres offering different educational stages, including all those offering basic and intermediate VET programmes.
Authorities will carry out official inspections, in the manner and frequency they deem necessary, to ensure compliance with the provisions of this royal decree. If the rules are not respected, the administration may impose penalties. Under no circumstances may these measures result in an increase in the cost of school meals for families.
Integrating Elements and Management Instruments in the New Vocational Training System
Royal Decree 69/2025 was published in February 2025 and it lays out the integrating elements and management instruments of the new National Vocational Training System. This decree, which is framed within Law 3/2022 on the Organisation and Integration of Vocational Training, seeks to adapt vocational training to the needs of the labour market, and to guarantee lifelong learning.
The Royal Decree structures the National Vocational Training System around the following elements and management tools:
• National Catalogue of Vocational Competence Standards (CNECP): It organises the professional competences identified in the productive system, classified by professional families and competence levels (1, 2 and 3).
• Modular Catalogue of Vocational Training: It structures the professional modules linked to the competence standards, serving as a reference for the design of training provision.
• National Catalogue of Vocational Training Provision: It contains all the vocational training courses recognised and accredited in Spain, organised into grades (A, B, C, D and E).
The decree also reinforces the traceability of training itineraries through interconnected state registries, such as the State Registry of Vocational Training, the State Registry of Accreditations for Professional Competences Acquired through Work Experience or Non-Formal and Informal Means, and the General Registry of Vocational Training Institutions.
Finally, the decree establishes mechanisms for the transition from the previous regulations, ensuring that the units of competence of the old National Catalogue of Professional Qualifications are assimilated to the new competence standards. Furthermore, it ensures the transfer of data from previous registries to the new State Registry of Vocational Training.
More than 6 700 new Vocational Training offers for the active population
The Council of Ministers has approved seven Royal Decrees establishing 6 729 new Vocational Training courses. In addition, specific aspects of the so-called grades A, B and C of the new VET model are regulated therein.
Among these new courses, 5 432 consist of partial accreditations of competence (grades A), also known as micro-accreditations. These are the smallest training units in the new system, with a duration of ten to fifty hours. They are especially aimed at the qualification and requalification of workers, and are adapted to their professional needs and circumstances, in order to guarantee their employability.
On the other hand, 929 programmes are certificates of competence (grade B) with a duration of between 50 and 250 hours. Finally, 368 new vocational certificates (grades C), each with a duration of 400 to 1000 hours of training, have also been created.
These new training programmes, aimed at the active population, are more limited in size and are derived from the Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Vocational Training cycles already in force. All of them can be accredited and accumulated within the new Vocational Training system, which will allow citizens to build upward and individualised training itineraries to progress in their professional development.
This new initiative is part of the process of transformation and modernisation of the Vocational Training system carried out by the Spanish Government in recent years. With this measure, the Executive exponentially multiplies the training options for young people and workers as well as their professional and employment opportunities within the framework of vocational training at the service of people.
2024
The Vocational Training Law finalises its implementation with the approval of four new Royal Decrees
Four royal decrees were passed in May 2024, completing the regulatory framework for the Vocational Training Law enacted in 2022. With the approval of these royal decrees, the implementation of the dual system in both Intermediate and Advanced Vocational Training is complete. Additionally, the decrees incorporate a number of modules related to digitalisation, sustainability, entrepreneurship or Technical English. Each royal decree governs the following levels:
- Royal Decree 498/2024: Basic Vocational Training
- Royal Decree 499/2024: Intermediate Vocational Training
- Royal Decree 500/2024: Advanced Vocational Training
- Royal Decree 497/2024: Specialization Courses
As from September 2024, all Vocational Training studies will be dual in the first year of Intermediate and Advanced Vocational Education, as well as in vocational education masters that include internships. Students will attend school and undertake company placements from the first year, gradually phasing out the Workplace Training Module in the 2025/2026 school year. So far, this module takes place at a business premises during the last term of the second school year.
The new Vocational Education system incorporates dual training in two modalities, general and intensive, depending on the time students spend in the company and the learning outcomes assumed by the latter. Since early 2024, students in internships have been contributing to the Social Security system during their training period in the company, a cost that will not affect the company.
In the 2024/25 school year, all Intermediate and Advanced Vocational Education studies will include new core modules tailored to each training offer and linked to essential aspects of the current economy. That is the case of the following modules: Digitalisation Applied to the Production System, Sustainability Adapted to the Production System, Technical English, and Personal for Employability I and II.
Additionally, the system includes elective subjects in Vocational Education for the very first time and incorporates the Intermodule Project in Basic, Intermediate and Advanced levels. In this project, teachers present in class a challenge-based assignment that simulates a real situation in the production system to which the training is linked.
New Vocational Training Specialisation Courses
The Council of Ministers, upon the proposal of the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sports (MEFD), has approved the creation of two new specialisation courses linked to digital content creation and the positioning of websites and social media management, respectively, both belonging to the vocational field of Commerce and Marketing.
These are two vocational training specialisation courses designed in collaboration with industry experts to ensure highly specialised training tailored to professionals in high demand in the labour market. This new course offering also addresses the need of economic sectors to engage in marketing and communication activities.
One of the courses is the specialization course on Digital Content Writing for Marketing and Sales, lasting 410 hours, whose main competency is to plan, execute, and optimize a digital content strategy to position brands, attract customers, and increase revenue, using methods, techniques and copywriting tools.
The Search Engine Optimization (SEO/SEM) and Social Media Communication specialisation course, lasting 710 hours, prepares students to plan and develop a basic digital marketing strategy, overseeing actions related to organic search engine positioning and communication on social media.
Both training programmes are intended for individuals holding a Higher Vocational Training certificate or, alternatively, those who can demonstrate knowledge that ensures their competence to successfully undertake these courses.
With the courses approved today, the Ministry continues to expand the educational offering of a new Vocational Training aimed at both young people and workers, aligned with employment and the talent needs of the current economy.
Expansion of the Vocational Training Centres of Excellence Network
The Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sports (MEFD) has selected 21 new public schools to join the national Vocational Training Centres of Excellence Network. With these additions, the network now comprises 66 schools.
The selected schools will receive a total of 20 million euros from Component 20 of the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan, adding to the 41.6 million euros invested in 2022 for the establishment of the network. The funds will fund the plans and integration projects to the initiative.
The members of this network are responsible for digital and methodological transformation processes, organising teacher-training actions at national level, implementing innovation and applied research projects, and collaborating in identifying the needs of profiles in different productive sectors, among other tasks. Equally noteworthy is the fact that they maintain close collaboration with local businesses, business associations and unions, as well as other schools and third-sector entities. In essence, these schools drive innovation throughout the territory, creating environments for innovation, research, and entrepreneurship, and promoting internationalisation in the field of Vocational Training.
Creation of 146 New Digital Skills Training Centres
The Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sports (MEFD) has allocated 3.5 million euros for the creation of 146 new digital training centres in local entities. With these grants from Component 19 of the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan, the State Network of Digital Training Centres will expand to 1193 units. It is expected to benefit more than 55 500 individuals over the age of 55 with a low level of education.
The initiative aims to provide citizens with cross-sectional digital competences, offering training opportunities regardless of their place of residence. All this to enable them to conduct secure online communications and transactions using their own electronic devices, and to promote digital literacy as a tool for new training and learning opportunities.
These grants will be directed to municipalities to provide students with a physical space for sessions and ensure the improvement of permanent qualification and requalification, in addition to mentors and trainers.