The government delegate in Galicia, Pedro Blanco, highlighted today in As Pontes the government’s commitment to equal opportunities and educational inclusion. In a visit to the facilities of Aspanaes (association of families of people with autism spectrum disorder), he stressed that this commitment materialized in an investment of almost 20 million euros in the academic year 2024-2025 in NEAE bags of the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sports for students with specific educational support needs, which benefited in the last academic year about 13,000 Galician families.
The delegate recalled that this support almost triples the investment and the number of beneficiary families respect the last term of the government before that of Pedro Sánchez.” Thus, he pointed out that in the 2018-2019 academic year these grants reached only 5,350 Galician students with an imposition of 7.5 million euros.
Pedro Blanco offered this information during the visit to the Aspanaes center accompanied by the president of the Diputación de A Coruña and mayor of As Pontes, Valentín G. Formoso; the head of the Education area of the Government Delegation in Galicia, Lois Carballido; the director of Aspanaes As Pontes, Cristina Rodríguez; and the vice-president of Aspanaes and president of Autism Galicia, Mercedes Fernández.
There, he valued “the valuable work” that Aspanaes does in the accompaniment, care and training of people with autism and their families, claiming the importance of ensuring “that each student can develop their vital project with guarantees, regardless of their circumstances”.
Pedro Blanco especially thanked “the commitment and dedication” of the entire Aspanaes team and valued the work carried out by the entity in its facilities of the Bridges, where it provides special education services, therapeutic residential care, day care and programs to promote personal autonomy for people with autism.
The delegate also highlighted the institutional collaboration with the Diputación de A Coruña and the City of As Pontes, “fundamental to provide comprehensive care and improve the quality of life of the users and their families.” In this context, he recalled that Aspanaes received a total of 464,774.77 euros in aid from the Government of Spain through different programs.
NEAE bags
The call for NEAE exchanges for the 2026-2027 academic year opened yesterday, May 19 and will remain open until September 10. Pedro Blanco encouraged families to apply for this assistance because “they are a helping hand and an opportunity for every boy and girl with special needs to study, have a future and fulfill dreams.”
The applications will be made directly and completely telematically through the electronic headquarters of the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sports, maintaining exceptionally the possibility of paper presentation for families with difficulties of access to digital media.
The grants are intended for students with disabilities, serious behavioral, communication or language disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or high abilities, and meet needs such as school material, transportation, dining, residence or pedagogical and language reeducation. In addition, the supplementary aid of 400 euros is maintained to cover additional costs for families.
Pedro Blanco also stressed that the Ministry of Education has maintained since 2022 the Inclusive Education program, endowed with 140 million euros throughout Spain and that it has already left 8 million euros in Galicia to reinforce the resources of ordinary and special education centers.