The students and their parents are puzzled by the fact that the Spanish exam was given green light although no Spanish was taught at many schools due to the shortage of teachers.

“How can you grade a student if that student has never received any lessons? This is entirely unfair because the students who were taught Spanish this year were well-prepared, while those who were not taught Spanish this year were not,” said Aida Ligeon. The parents made it clear that they often sounded the alarm but that their concerns were ignored. “My daughter studied the lessons that she was given at school. Now all of a sudden she has to take an exam in a language that she only knows from when she had gone on vacation,” said Ligeon. The parents are demanding that the Spanish exam either  be declared invalid or that another solution be presented. They pointed out that the Spanish exam should have been cancelled because many students did not have Spanish classes this year. “No Spanish lessons, no Spanish exam.”

Another concerned parent explained that she hired a tutor to teach her son Spanish after she was told that he would not be taught Spanish but that he would have to take the Spanish exam. “The Ministry of Education, Science and Culture failed to come up with a solution to this problem.”

The ministry's AVO director could not be reached for comment. Education officials had often confirmed that there is a shortage of Spanish teachers.  Students expressed concern over the fact that the score of the Spanish exam will contribute to them failing this year’s state exams. “Our children deserve better than this,” said Ligeon.