“I took nan written trial yesterday. I felt a spot ashamed and tried not to look around". Credit: PeopleImages.com - Yuri A / Shutterstock.com
Dozens of autochthonal Spanish speakers person discovered a ineligible loophole that enables them to gain other points successful civilian work exams simply by proving they speak Spanish – their ain mother tongue. The trick? Enrol successful nan “Spanish arsenic a overseas language” people astatine an Official School of Languages (EOI), moreover if you’re from Valladolid and speak cleanable Spanish.
“I took nan written trial yesterday. I felt a spot ashamed and tried not to look around, but erstwhile I did, I saw that half nan 15 group location were autochthonal speakers, and 3 of america were calved successful Spain,” a nationalist worker from Andalusia told ABC, requesting anonymity. He’s taking nan oral exam adjacent and says he’s doing it “just to get immoderate other merit points successful lawsuit I petition a transfer”. He blames nan business connected “the privileges nan authorities has granted to regions pinch co-official languages”.
Since 2018, a alteration successful nan Ministry of Education’s authorities has created a ineligible vacuum. Whereas nan Spanish connection certificate was antecedently reserved for non-nationals, now immoderate big tin beryllium nan exam. This opens nan doorway for Spanish citizens to summation points for thing they’re already obliged to cognize by law, arsenic stated successful Article 3 of nan Spanish Constitution.
Teachers astatine EOIs pass this loophole has led to wide abuse. “There are moreover exam coaches encouraging autochthonal Spanish speakers to return nan trial to summation an unfair edge,” 1 coach said. Another added, “When you spot personification named Carmen García Fernández taking nan Spanish exam, you first laughter and past consciousness outraged.”
The rumor is astir prevalent successful education-sector exams and includes Latin American nationals who person caught upwind of nan opportunity. Some regions, for illustration Castilla-La Mancha, person reinstated nan original request barring Spaniards from sitting nan test. Others, for illustration Valencia, return a mediate ground. Meanwhile, Madrid has asked nan Ministry to revise nan regularisation but has received nary response.
In nan end, astir 40% of certification places are reportedly taken by autochthonal speakers – leaving overseas students puzzled and disadvantaged.
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