Immigration to Spain focuses on Spanish education: There are many advantages to immigrating to Spain, and with the recent surge in immigration, it has become a trend. Currently, there are still many Chinese children studying in secondary schools. However, many face language barriers and learning difficulties, which may prevent them from obtaining their secondary school diplomas. In Spain, there is a program called PROGRAMA DE DIVERSIFICACIÓN, aimed at children in the third year of secondary school (15 years old). The content taught in this program is slightly easier than in regular classes, with smaller class sizes (over two years, ages 15-16), allowing teachers to give more attention to students. As long as the child can pass the exams, they can also receive a certificate.
A year ago, a 15-year-old Chinese female student in the Madrid region had only lived in Spain for two years. She studied diligently, but unfortunately, she still could not understand many Spanish technical terms and was unable to keep up with her classmates' learning pace. The school teachers believed that the student had a strong desire for knowledge and wanted to obtain her secondary school diploma. They arranged for her to participate in the PROGRAMA DE DIVERSIFICACIÓN. Through her own efforts and the help of her teachers, she finally obtained her certificate, which provided her with the possibility of continuing her education in the future.
In addition, some secondary schools have found that Chinese students who are over 16 years old may not be able to smoothly transition to high school. Once they reach 16, they are no longer required to receive compulsory education, and the school will ask parents whether they would like their child to help with the family business or start looking for work, or if they prefer their child to learn a trade. Spain has vocational schools similar to those in China, offering various technical training in fields such as beauty, hairdressing, carpentry, gardening, secretarial work, plumbing, and tailoring. If the child discusses with their parents and wishes to learn a trade, the school will provide all necessary administrative assistance. However, studying in vocational schools also requires effort, as there are practical classes and cultural courses that must be passed in order to obtain a diploma. This diploma is helpful for finding employment in the job market.
Currently, in areas with a high concentration of Chinese people, such as PARLA, FUENLABRADA, and LEGANÉS, there are many children over 16 years old studying in secondary schools. Many schools, in order to assist Chinese children, provide a Spanish language teacher to specifically tutor three or four students. However, these children often skip classes. The school hopes that students can cherish the valuable educational resources. They also hope that parents and children can communicate and discuss whether to continue their studies. As mentioned earlier, after reaching 16 years old, there is no obligation to receive compulsory education. If the child is unwilling to continue, parents can go to the school to fill out a withdrawal application.