La extensión del bachillerato en los suburbios españoles (1956-1984). Las Secciones Filiales de Instituto

Abstract

A partir de 1950 las autoridades educativas españolas se plantearon la expansión de la enseñanza media. Una de las primeras medidas fue la creación en 1956 de las Secciones Filiales de Instituto. Se trató de un peculiar mecanismo de colaboración entre la Administración y la Iglesia católica, precursor del actual sistema de conciertos. Llegaron a contabilizarse más de 300, ubicadas en suburbios de las capitales, que realizaron una interesante labor educativa y social facilitando el acceso al bachillerato a miles de jóvenes. Asimismo, contribuyeron a consolidar la presencia de las iniciativas eclesiales en zonas poco proclives a la acción pastoral.

From 1950, the Spanish education authorities considered the expansion of secondary education. One of the fi rst things they implemented was the creation of the so-called Secciones Filiales de Instituto – private secondary schools that were subsidized by the Spanish government – in 1956. That was a peculiar cooperation mechanism between the Administration and the Catholic church, which would be a forerunner of the current private schools receiving a state subsidy. They came to be more than 300, located in the suburbs of the Spanish big cities. They carried out an interesting educational and social work, since they allowed thousands of young people to get access to secondary school. They also helped to consolidate the presence of church initiatives in areas scarcely inclined to pastoral activity.