Spanish Minister of Education José Ignacio Wert Leaving Politics

José_Ignacio_Wert

Minister of Education José Ignacio Wert leaving politics

José Ignacio Wert, probably the most unpopular Spanish Minister of Education, Culture and Sports in decades, has announced he will be leaving politics at the end of this legislature.

Not surprisingly really, as his planned education reforms have gone down like a lead balloon with everyone involved — parents, pupils, teachers and the general public. That is why José Ignacio Wert has decided he is not cut out for politics, particularly once he realized he basically had no support — including from his own party, the PPP.

José Ignacio Wert planned reforms of the Spanish education system

Some of José Ignacio Wert’s reforms of the Spanish education system included cutting scholarships, increasing the number of children in each school class, cutting the number of teachers in a school, increasing the hours teachers must work, refusing to pay sick leave if it’s below 15 days and on and on.

It’s no wonder he’s so unpopular.

On top of that, Wert called parents “irresponsible” when they said they couldn’t afford to buy textbooks after prices rapidly increased.

Called them “radical and anti-government” when they refused to take their children to school on the day of a general strike and, when asked about increasing the number of children in classrooms throughout Spain, lied and said the number of children was not being increased the limit was just “becoming more flexible”.

Wert finally earned the title “Jerk of the Week” when he spent untold amounts of money to create a National Plan for the Promotion and Protection of Bullfighting, while at the same time cutting tens of millions of euros from education, culture and sports.

Jerk of the Week? More like Jerk of the Year……..and beyond.

Yes, as you can imagine, most of Spain will be happy Spanish Minister of Education, José Ignacio Wert, is leaving politics, and that includes me.