The Community of Madrid has decided to temporarily suspend the second enrollment phase for Vocational Training and Official Language Schools while fires continue to affect thousands of families. The goal of this measure is to ensure that no student misses a spot due to being unable to complete their paperwork on time. Additionally, two institutes remain closed, impacting 309 children who cannot attend school.
This announcement, made on July 27, directly affects those awaiting a place in Intermediate Level, Advanced Level cycles, or at a language school. The Ministry of Education, Science, and Universities explained that the decision is a response to the need to address lockdowns, evacuations, and school closures caused by active fires in the region, which could prevent families from completing documentation within the set deadlines.
This is an exceptional and temporary measure, intended to last only as long as the emergency persists. Once the situation normalizes, the usual schedule will resume. The suspended phase is crucial as it allows access to vacant spots after the first allocation, offering a second chance to those who did not initially secure a place. Freezing this process aims to ensure fairness among applicants, preventing communication or travel difficulties caused by the fires from disadvantaging some students.
The original deadlines for Intermediate Level cycles were July 24 and 27, and for Advanced Level, July 29 and 30. For Official Language Schools, the deadline to formalize enrollment for the second allocation was July 29. All these deadlines are now suspended, and the Community of Madrid will announce new dates as soon as the process can be resumed normally. If the emergency continues, the Ministry plans to open a new enrollment period in September and adjust the third phase's calendar if necessary.
As a consequence of the emergency, two vocational training institutes, the Pedro de Tolosa Public Institute in San Martín de Valdeiglesias and the IES Maestro Juan María Leonet in Villa del Prado, will not open their doors. The impact of the fires also affects Nursery Schools and Children's Centers, with 17 public centers provisionally closed in 16 locations, leaving at least 309 children without access to classrooms.
