The Basque Government earmarks 7 million euros to create inclusive playgrounds in public schools

The spokesperson of the Basque Government and Minister for Culture and Language Policy, Bingen Zupiria, has appeared at the usual press conference after the Governing Council. He was joined by the new Minister for Equality, Justice and Social Policies, Nerea Melgosa Vega, who took office this morning. Melgosa took the opportunity to give an account of the objectives she has set for her term of office. 

For his part, the spokesperson Bingen Zupiria informed that the Government has approved a 7 million euros subsidy for playground works or refurbishments in public nursery and primary schools in order to promote the creation of inclusive playgrounds in these schools. According to the minister, the inclusive playground item refers to creating spaces and moments of play in which children can develop play activities of interest to them from an inclusive and co-educational perspective. This is in line with the “2^nd Coeducation Plan for the Basque Education System” where it is proposed that these spaces for play should be rethought in order to create inclusive playgrounds where activities and the distribution of spaces are designed to facilitate more egalitarian relationships and a more equitable use of these playgrounds.

AGREEMENTS OF THE GOVERNING COUNCIL

As usual, the spokesperson, Bingen Zupiria, provided information on other agreements of the Governing Council, including the following:

The Governing Council has today given the green light to the call for applications for technical cooperation projects with Quebec that seek to intensify bilateral relations and establish new partnerships and collaborations with regions abroad that it considers strategic for the Basque Country. These eligible projects will relate to the following areas: Culture, Language Policy, Economy, Environment and Research and Technological Development.

In addition, today's Governing Council has approved the salary increase for the year 2023 for all staff in the public sector of the Basque Country Autonomous Community. Therefore, with effect from 1 January this year, a general increase of 2.5% has been authorised with respect to the remuneration for the year 2022 for both civil servants and employees, and also for the lehendakari, ministers, senior staff and similar, temporary staff and management staff. The estimated amount for this increase is 103,000,000 euros.

On the other hand, the Governing Council has authorised the signing of an agreement with the Ea Town Council for the construction of public rental housing in the municipality, preferably aimed at people registered in the town. Through this agreement, the Town Council will hand over the almost 1,700 square metre plot of land free of charge to the Basque Government, which will be responsible for the construction of around 16 new homes and its management.

In the cultural field, the Governing Council has approved the call for subsidies for the promotion and development of activities in the field of Plastic and Visual Arts for the year 2023 and will allocate 480,000 euros to this call, 16,000 euros more than the previous year.