Tenerife Parents Demand Urgent Reform Amid School Canteen Staffing Crisis
Parent-teacher associations in Tenerife are demanding urgent structural reforms from the Canary Islands Ministry of Education to address chronic canteen staff shortages and a lack of specialized support for students with diverse needs.
School canteen management in Tenerife is at a breaking point, prompting parent-teacher associations (AMPAs) to join forces against what they call a systemic failure. Local reports indicate that a shortage of support staff is causing constant disruptions, negatively impacting both the quality of education and the ability of parents to balance work and family life.
The issue reached a boiling point on March 11, when service was suspended at CEIP Granadilla de Abona, leaving nearly 70 sixth-grade students without lunch. While service resumed the next day, the incident highlighted a problem that has persisted since 2023. At schools like CEIP Teófilo Pérez in Tegueste, parents warn that the staff shortage is putting student well-being at risk and overwhelming school leadership.
A similar situation is unfolding at CEIP Princesa Tejina in La Laguna, where families blame the lack of immediate staff replacements for the instability. When schools cannot find cover for absent workers, they fail to meet legal staffing ratios—one assistant per 25 preschool students or 35 primary students. This leaves the remaining staff overworked and results in less supervision for the children.
The lack of specialized training is also a major concern. Schools like Princesa Tejina, which support students with autism, ADHD, and other behavioral needs, report that canteen staff are not equipped to provide the necessary care. This puts extra pressure on assistants and makes it difficult to properly support students who rely on these programs.
In response, the AMPAs have appealed to the Canary Islands Ministry of Education. They are calling for two main changes: a faster, more efficient system for replacing absent staff and the hiring of professionals specifically trained to work with diverse student needs. For these families, temporary fixes are not enough; they are demanding structural reforms to ensure the canteen service remains a stable and essential part of the public education system.