The new party Por Mi Pueblo Manilva held a meeting this afternoon with representatives of the municipality’s AMPAs (parents’ associations) with the aim of listening to their concerns and learning the current state of the new secondary school project, as well as gathering first-hand information about the meeting held this morning with the provincial delegate for Educational Development and Vocational Training of the Junta de Andalucía in Málaga, Miguel Ángel Briones.
During the meeting, the party’s spokesperson, Daniel Muñoz, explained that, although it is a recently formed party, its organisation considers it essential to support and back citizen movements such as this one, which seek to promote educational infrastructure and secure the future of the municipality. He noted that one of the main reasons behind the creation of this new party is precisely to help and promote initiatives that create opportunities and improvements for Manilva.
Also present at the meeting was Antonio Muñoz “Matías”, from Casares, who expressed his satisfaction at the unity between the two municipalities in calling for an educational infrastructure that he considers beneficial for both Manilva and Casares, given the educational reality shared by students from both towns.
During the meeting, Daniel Muñoz also set out the steps taken during his time as councillor for Education within the Compromiso Manilva party to push forward the project for the second secondary school.
According to his account, on 29 April 2021 the first official request was made to the Territorial Education Delegation of the Junta de Andalucía in Málaga. Subsequently, on 22 May 2021, taking advantage of the ceremony to lay the first stone of the extension of CEIP San Luis de Sabinillas, the urgent need for a second secondary school in the municipality, to help ease the overcrowding already affecting the existing school at that time, was personally conveyed to the then provincial delegate, Mercedes García Paine.
Five months later, the Delegation replied, asking the Town Hall about the availability of land so that procedures for the new school could begin.
The next step came on 3 February 2022, when the Town Hall’s council meeting approved the transfer of land to the Junta de Andalucía, with all the documentation sent the following day, 4 February 2022. Subsequently, on 12 April 2022, the Provincial Delegation again requested information about the proposed plot.
On 19 June 2022 regional elections were held in Andalucía, resulting in a change of regional government. Months later, on 14 September 2022, the then mayor Mario Jiménez requested a meeting with the new provincial delegate, Miguel Ángel Briones Artacho, to resume the project and bring him up to date on the progress made with his predecessor.
Just six days later, the delegate visited Manilva on what would be his first official visit to a municipality in the province after taking up the post. That meeting was described as fruitful by both sides, highlighting the good understanding for the benefit of the educational community.
Briones was accompanied by technical staff from the delegation and by the head of planning, Alejandro Berrido, whom Muñoz praised for his commitment to the educational community and his willingness to deal with the issues raised until the end of 2022.
Subsequently, in 2023, following the municipal elections and the change of government at Manilva Town Hall, Daniel Muñoz no longer held responsibilities in the area of education.
The meeting held this afternoon with the AMPAs was described as very enriching by both sides, as it allowed them to exchange information and share the common goal of continuing to work together to achieve the construction of a new secondary school in Manilva, an infrastructure they consider essential for the educational present and future of the municipality.
