In a context of evident confusion in some communities regarding the Social Security registration of students in Vocational Training practices, the Department of Education of the Basque Government has resolved this situation by taking charge of the registrations of all students from public centers and, also, concerted. The Basque Executive points out that all students currently carrying out internships were discharged on January 1, as required by the Organic Law of Social Security (LOSU), and that throughout the course will register a total of 23,500 vocational training students.
Sources from the Department of Education point out, however, that at this time, due to the Vocational Training calendar, there are few students who have had to be discharged, barely a thousand, a figure that will multiply in the coming weeks. , especially from the month of February. Throughout the course, practically half of the almost 50,000 students in the Basque Country who study vocational training in public or subsidized centers will finally be discharged.
With this decision to assume the registration of public and subsidized centers, the Basque Executive wanted to avoid controversies and preserve the good relationship with the business community, reducing bureaucratic burdens, according to Education sources. In the case of universities, the centers themselves have been in charge of managing the registration of intern students, not without some complaints in the case of the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), a public center that hosts the largest number of university students.
Fees for internships in vocational training and, to a lesser extent, in universities have become a headache in some communities. This obligation to contribute for internships responds to a modification of the General Social Security Law included in Royal Decree 2/2023 on pension reform. It was approved in March and was to have come into force in October. Several autonomous communities, however, requested a moratorium and the date was postponed until January 1. This period, however, has not been sufficient.
In Catalonia, the Foment del Treball employer association regretted the “lack of foresight and planning” of the Generalitat, while denouncing “confusion, insecurity and concern” in the educational community, companies and families. Educació announced that it would assume the management of registrations, but that it would do so only with publicly owned educational centers. As they argued, technically the Generalitat cannot give registrations and cancellations in the name of a privately owned center.
These complaints have been repeated in other communities, which fundamentally refer to administrative problems and not so much to economic issues. Not in vain, in the case of FP, during this 2024 Social Security will subsidize 95% of contributions and the Ministry of Education will finance the remaining 5%.
This context of confusion has forced the Government to make a move, extending until March 31 the deadline to make contributions effective, although students will have the Social Security registration date on the day the internship begins. The question is whether this new moratorium will be enough on this occasion.
