The El Rodonell school in Corçà has been operating in separate spaces for almost twenty years, forcing 125 students and teaching staff to cross the C-66 road daily, a route used by nearly 3,000 vehicles each day. The fragmentation of the center and the age of the facilities have created a situation that families, students, and teachers consider unsustainable and dangerous.
Daily Risks from Downtown Fragmentation
The kindergarten students attend class in a building about 75 years old, which also houses the dining hall. The middle and upper school students are in temporary classrooms installed in 2007. The C-66 highway runs between the two spaces, forcing constant movement throughout the day, both to attend classes and to access the dining hall or the multipurpose room, used as a sports hall and located even further away.
Families report that this organization forces them to cross the road several times a day, exposing minors and staff to risks that do not exist in other educational centers in Catalonia.
"This situation forces families, children, and teachers to endure risks and inconveniences that other schools in Catalonia do not face" - Albert González, father of a fourth-grade student
Facility Conditions and Claims
The main building has outdated facilities and last year suffered a fire due to electrical problems. The dormitories, according to the students themselves, are small and deteriorated. Furthermore, the proximity of the road causes the children to breathe in vehicle exhaust fumes and suffer from constant traffic noise
"The barracks are small and falling apart, and we breathe in all the smoke from the cars passing by on the road" - Roure, student
The multipurpose room, used for physical education, is far away and access involves a loss of teaching time. Families also report the danger of the journeys during lunchtime, as only two supervisors accompany a large group of children
"At lunchtime it's dangerous because there are many of us children and only two supervisors accompany us" - Telma, a sixth-grader
The coexistence between the different groups of students is limited. There are siblings who can only meet in the joint courtyards that are organized once a month.
Historical Claims and Institutional Response
The demands to build a new school date back to 2006, when the need for a single, safe center for all students in Corçà was already being discussed. The City Council selected a plot of land some time ago and has submitted the necessary documentation to the Generalitat
The city council has been working on this project since 2007 and is maintaining pressure for the Generalitat to include it in the next budget.
"The situation of the center complicates teaching for the children" - Raül Yruela, mayor of Corçà
The Department of Education acknowledges the problem and assures that El Rodonell is one of the schools considered a priority in the territorial services of Girona, pending the approval of new budget allocations.
The educational community of Corçà continues to await a definitive solution that will guarantee the safety and quality of the school environment for the municipality's 125 students.