The Mayor of Alcobendas, Rocío García Alcántara (PP), visited the classrooms of the extension of the Official School of Languages (EOI) at IES Gloria Fuertes in our city this week. Accompanied by the Councilor of Education, Fernando Martínez, she attentively listened to the explanations of the EOI director, Carmen Garrido, and was able to hear firsthand the impressions of the students. «I promised during the electoral campaign that Alcobendas would have its own EOI extension, and now it’s a reality,» emphasized the mayor after this visit.
An electoral promise fulfilled
In September 2024, this Alcobendas section began operating as an extension of the EOI center in San Sebastián de los Reyes. Since then, it has been offering two languages – English and Chinese – in the afternoon during the current school year. The mayor expressed her satisfaction that Alcobendas finally had an Official School of Languages. «Thanks to the impetus of President Ayuso, it has been launched in just a few months, after years of demands,» Rocío García emphasized.
The commitment between the Community of Madrid and the City Council of Alcobendas was announced after the extraordinary Council of Government held in our city on April 10, 2024.
English and Chinese, from A1
The first year of operation of the Alcobendas section has started with 55 students in the lower levels of Chinese and English, as defined by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
It teaches the most basic level of Mandarin, A1, two days a week, on Mondays and Wednesdays, in very small groups. In just a few months, these students will be able to communicate in everyday situations with frequently used expressions and elementary vocabulary.
It also teaches English from the lowest level – A1 – and also offers the B1 level, which has had the most demand, on Mondays and Wednesdays, also in the evening.
Official certification
The certificates issued by the EOI have official validity for all purposes throughout the national territory and do not expire. They facilitate access to master’s degree studies, allow for the validation of the foreign language subject in most university degrees, and are recognized when required in competitions, merit-based contests, or transfers.
In the future, with the increasing demand, this EOI center will gradually expand to cover the different levels outlined in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages and may possibly expand the range of languages it offers.
Those interested in enrolling for the next school year 2025-2026 should wait for instructions from the Ministry of Education regarding the access, admission, and registration of new students in the official schools of the Community of Madrid.
As a guideline, last year, the deadline to take the classification test was from April 29 to June 3, both dates inclusive, and the deadline for submitting applications for admission to an EOI center was from June 6 to June 21.
