Madrid, September 9, 2025 – The Secretary of State for Education, Mr. Abelardo de la Rosa, today received a representation of the new Board of Directors of the Association of Private and Independent Schools (CICAE) in a meeting aimed at addressing the current situation of private independent schools and reaffirming their commitment as an essential and complementary part of the Spanish education system.
The meeting was attended by Mr. José Antonio Rois, new President of CICAE and CEO of Institución Educativa Los Sauces; Mr. Ángel de la Vega, Vice-President and Principal of Colegio Arturo Soria; Mr. Iván Martínez Pastor, Vice-President and CEO of SEK International Schools; and Ms. Elena Cid, CEO of the association.
New Board of Directors and continuity of CICAE’s work
The Secretary of State for Education, Mr. Abelardo de la Rosa, together with Mr. José Antonio Rois, President of CICAE; Mr. Ángel de la Vega, Vice President; Mr. Iván Martínez Pastor, Vice President; and Ms. Elena Cid, General Director of CICAE.
During the meeting, the new Board of Directors was officially introduced and expressed its intention to give continuity to the work carried out in recent years and to maintain a constructive collaboration with the Ministry and the Secretary of State for Education. CICAE reiterated the importance of guaranteeing the existence of the three educational networks -public, subsidized and private- and of listening to and respecting the voice of independent private education, ensuring its autonomy to develop its own quality educational projects.
“Our priority is to continue working as an ally of the educational system, contributing the experience, innovation and excellence of our centers. We want independent private education to be taken into account as part of a plural and complementary system that reinforces the quality of education in our country,” said José Antonio Rois, president of CICAE.
CICAE: an ally aligned with the LOMLOE competency model
CICAE representatives emphasized its alignment with the competency model promoted by the LOMLOE, highlighting the implementation of programs such as the International Baccalaureate and the commitment to innovative methodologies and academic results of national and international reference.
“Our schools have been committed to competency-based methodologies and the comprehensive education of students for years. We are a strategic sector that can help Spanish education to be at the forefront,” added Rois.
More autonomy to innovate and face new challenges
CICAE expressed its concern about the growing bureaucracy and regulation that limits the autonomy of private schools to innovate and respond to new educational challenges. They claimed the importance of preserving pedagogical freedom to guarantee unique, differential projects capable of anticipating the challenges of today’s society.
“We need more autonomy to continue to innovate and respond to changes in society, such as the incorporation of Artificial Intelligence in the classroom or the recruitment of highly qualified foreign faculty. We are committed to the future of our students and to offering them the best possible preparation for an ever-changing world,” emphasized the CICAE president.
Unrest and concern over the sale of charter schools
With respect to the subsidized network, CICAE defended the coexistence of the three networks -public, subsidized and private- and called for updated regulations to guarantee transparency, avoid hidden profit motives and protect those centers that do fulfill the social function required of them.
He was informed that CICAE will soon present to the media the X Study of Fees and Prices of Subsidized Schools in which it is evident, once again, that compulsory fees and cases of exclusion of families persist in communities such as Madrid, Catalonia and the Basque Country.
Likewise, the association shared its concern and unease about the recent sale of the Educare group, owner of eight charter schools in Madrid, to the Swiss insurance company Swiss Life for 200 million euros. An acquisition that evidences what CICAE has been denouncing for years: some charter schools do business with the transfer of public land and the fees they charge to families.
“We defend the social and non-profit charter school, but we reject mercantilist models that distort its original spirit. It is essential to update the regulations to guarantee transparency and free education in publicly funded centers. “, Rois stated.
A concern shared by the Secretary of State, since the mercantilist model does not represent the social and non-profit spirit with which the charter school was born.
CICAE reaffirms its commitment to the education of the future
Finally, CICAE reiterated its commitment to address the challenges of Artificial Intelligence in education and announced the celebration of the Educational Conference ‘Educating in the age of AI’ next October 16 and 17 in Alcalá de Henares, which has an agenda of experts in the sector and CICAE’s own schools.
“We will continue working to provide solutions and proposals that contribute to a quality, open, pluralistic education system that guarantees equal opportunities,” Rois concluded.
