This chapter provides a thematic and chronological overview of national reforms and policy developments since 2024. 

The web pages that follow group reforms in the following broad thematic areas:

• early childhood education and care (ECEC);
• general school education;
• vocational education and training;
• higher education;
• adult education and training.

Inside each thematic area, reforms are organised chronologically. The most recent reforms are described first.

Government’s key objectives for education

During the last 15 years, in line with the objectives set at European level, attention has been paid to reducing early dropouts from education and training, to the full implementation of school autonomy, to the quality of education and to student competencies. In this way, social inequalities have been addressed and the right to study and equal opportunities to education and training for all have been guaranteed.

The legislation that governs our educational system is Law 2/2006 on Education (LOE), amended by Law 3/2020 (LOMLOE). This law aims at quality and excellence in the education system and rests on five basic pillars:

• the rights of the child, as established in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), recognising the best interests of children, their right to education and the obligation of the State to ensure the effective fulfilment of their rights;
• gender equality through coeducation. This law promotes, at all levels, effective equality between men and women, the prevention of gender violence and respect for affective-sexual diversity;
• the improvement of the results of all students with greater personalisation of the learning process;
• the importance of addressing sustainable development as established in the 2030 Agenda;
• the development of the digital competence of students of all levels.

As regards higher education, Organic Law 2/2023 on the University System (LOSU), adopted in 2023, introduces, among others, the following key aspects:

• it ensures comprehensive, advanced and broad education and the development of both personal and professional skills, including teaching and research skills; 
• it includes lifelong learning as an essential dimension of the university’s teaching function; 
• it incorporates student participation in all services and aspects of their academic and personal trajectory; 
• it establishes a balanced composition of collegiate bodies between women and men; 
• it promotes the role of universities as cultural agents; 
• it establishes three stages of progression in the academic career (entry, consolidation and promotion). 

Finally, the Organic Law on the organisation and integration of Vocational Education and Training, adopted in 2022, aims to turn VET into a single, integrated system that serves as a gateway to quality employment for young people, is capable of responding flexibly to individuals’ interests, expectations and lifelong upskilling needs, and meets the demands of productive sectors. Its objective is to make VET a driver of economic and social transformation in the country.