Basque, the Basque Country's own language, has ceased to be the main teaching language in the schools of the autonomous community after the executive led by Patxi Lopez (PSE-PSOE, Basque Labour) amended several decrees on education which were approved during previous government's last term in office. This is only one of the changes the curriculum will undergo in the context of an in-depth remodeling promoted by the Basque Ministry of Education Isabel Celaá, who defended the modification of contents that "made the school an instrument of nationalist indoctrination and exclusion of pluralism".

Amendments affect primary, secondary and high school education, and will have to be discussed by the Basque education community (Basque School Council) and then approved by the executive. According to the amended decrees -which will come into force next academic year- Castilian and Basque languages will stand on equal footing. As the administration will establish no priority regarding language, it seems that the choice will rest on schools and institutes' decision. The Basque government believes that the measure will lead to "equal bilingualism" and will help to rebuild social consensus, since 80 % of the population has Castilian as main language. Celaá also said that the changes will not have an effect on model D schools (schools in which the primary medium of instruction is Basque, with Spanish taught as a subject) because of the schools and institutes' freedom of choice.

A cultural meaning for Euskal Herria
Changes introduced are specific enough to restrict the meaning of various expressions and to instill certain moral values into students. For instance, the curriculum will dismiss the term "Euskal Herria" (the territory comprising the Spanish Autonomous Communities of the Basque Country and Navarre and the Northern Basque Country in France, meaning the "country of the Basque language") if it is conferred political meaning. Euskadi or Basque Autonomous Community will then be the acceptable term. The government is also determined to include in education plans "the opposition to terrorist violence".

Further information:

• EiTB: El nuevo curriculum equiparará el euskera y el castellano
• Gara: Lakua modifica los decretos educativos y equipara el euskara con el castellano
• Astekari: Gobierno vasco modificará los decretos educativos para acabar con "el adoctrinamiento" e igualar euskera y castellano
• Nationalia:Basque language is no longer the teaching language in education

See the Basque Country profile and the dossier Peoples and nations today: Basque Country for further information.