The Ministry of Education maintains the merger of scientific subjects in high school
The educational administration has confirmed that it will implement the new curricular design for High School, which groups Biology and Geology into a single subject and does the same with Physics and Chemistry. This decision is being made despite the widespread rejection expressed by teachers' groups and reference scientific societies in the country. The ministry defends that the change seeks to modernize the pedagogical approach and promote a more integrated view of science among students. 🧪
The opposition from the educational and scientific community
Since the proposal was presented, the measure has generated intense debate and discontent. Teachers' associations and entities such as the Royal Spanish Society of Physics or the Royal Spanish Society of Chemistry have shown their concern. They argue that combining these disciplines may dilute the specific and fundamental contents of each one, which would harm the depth and quality of the training that students receive. There is a fear that this reorganization will complicate students acquiring the solid foundations necessary to later study technical and scientific university careers. 🔬
Main arguments against:- Loss of specificity and depth in essential contents of each science.
- Risk of impoverishing the curriculum and hindering access to higher scientific studies.
- Concern about teacher training and the workload to teach merged subjects.
Merging these disciplines can dilute the specific and essential contents of each one, harming the depth of scientific training.
The official stance in the face of criticism
The Ministry defends the merger as a necessary step to update teaching and reduce the teaching load, which would allow a more competency-based approach and less focused on memorization. They insist that the new model does not eliminate contents, but integrates them under more global perspectives, such as sustainability or health. However, critics counter that, in practice, the reduction in hours and forced grouping will inevitably lead to simplifying or omitting fundamental topics. 📚
Stated objectives of the reform:- Modernize the curriculum and foster an interdisciplinary vision.
- Reduce the teaching load and promote competency-based learning.
- Integrate knowledge under global frameworks such as sustainability.
A debate between synergies and specialization
While the ministry talks about creating synergies and adopting a holistic vision, many teachers in high schools wonder how they will explain quantum mechanics and the periodic table in the same topic without losing rigor. The central discussion remains whether it is possible to integrate without detracting value from specialization, a complex balance that will define the scientific training of future generations. ⚖️