Queen Letizia marked the official start of the 2018/2019 school year with a visit to CP Baudilio Arce and the Doctor Fleming Secondary Education Institute in Oviedo.
The Queen was accompanied by the Minister of Education and Vocational Training, Isabel Celáa, and the President of the Principality of Asturias, Javier Fernádez; the President of the General Board of the Principality of Asturias, Pedro José Sanjurio; a government delegate of the Principality of Asturias, Delia Losa; the Mayor of Oviedo, Wenceslaso López; the director of Baudilio Acre Public School, Mercedes Rodríguez; and the director of the Doctor Fleming Secondary Education Institute, Santiago González.
© Casa de SM el Rey
Her visit began at the CP Baudilio Acre school, where 450 students learn, and met with primary students and their parents in the computer classroom, and saw their work with plastics and graphic design to learn reading and drawing skills; and watched as they performed different tasks in the classroom. She also met with high school students, visited the library, and met with second-grade students who were drawing.
RTPA News noted that one of the students, Julieta Neira, drew a picture of Queen Letizia and was able to meet the Queen.
One of the students, who spoke to El Comercio, said that they wanted to sing Happy Birthday to the Queen, who celebrates her birthday this weekend, but was encouraged not to by Queen Letizia, who told them that “she did not like to congratulate her birthday.”
© Casa de SM el Rey
At the Doctor Fleming Secondary Education Institute, Queen Letizia met with the school council, parents, and teachers. Students here aren’t expected until 14 September, so the Queen did not meet with any pupils during the visit.
The Queen unveiled a plaque commemorating her visit before she left.
Queen Letizia marks the beginning of the school year in Spain by visiting a different school every year. RTPA News noted that this year, 8,179,539 students would attend non-university schools in Spain, which is an increase of 0.3%.
