Catalonia brings back compulsory reading in upper secondary and strengthens traditional classes

Who thought handwriting and reading aloud were things of the past? Catalonia has made an unexpected move, announcing that compulsory reading will once again be an essential part of upper secondary education from the 2027-2028 academic year, after a two-year absence.

The decision is not driven by nostalgia, but as a direct response to the growing use of artificial intelligence and digitalisation among students. The Generalitat aims to curb technological dependence and restore the importance of traditional skills in the classroom.

Compulsory reading only in upper secondary

The most visible change will be in upper secondary, where students will once again have to tackle a list of officially selected books. In contrast, in primary and lower secondary, each school will be free to choose the works it considers most suitable for its pupils.

The measure aims to balance schools’ autonomy with the need to guarantee a common literary foundation in the pre-university stage. The specific titles have not yet been detailed, but the return of the official list marks a turning point in recent Catalan education policy.

Beyond books: handwriting, debates, and mental arithmetic

The return of compulsory reading does not come alone. The plan includes strengthening subjects many thought were relegated to childhood memories: handwriting, reading aloud, mental arithmetic, and oral debates. The goal is clear: to strengthen skills that technology cannot easily replace.

This focus on traditional skills comes at a time when digitalisation has transformed the way we learn and teach. The Generalitat considers it urgent to recover manual and communication skills that, according to the official assessment, have been affected by intensive use of digital tools and artificial intelligence.

Why now? The role of artificial intelligence in classrooms

The trigger for this return to the classics has been the increasingly widespread use of artificial intelligence by students. The Catalan education administration has found that easy access to automatic summaries, instant corrections, and AI-generated answers is weakening young people’s ability to analyse, speak, and write by hand.

In this sense, the Generalitat is following a trend already seen elsewhere, where technology is forcing a rethink of which skills should be protected and promoted in schools. It is not the first time an educational decision has sought to adapt to technological changes: in sport, for example, the return of Catalan teams to European competitions has also led to adjustments and new strategies, as was recently reported.

A return that makes a statement

The return of compulsory reading and the strengthening of subjects like handwriting is not just a matter of curriculum: it is a statement of intent about the kind of education Catalonia wants for the coming years. Faced with the digital wave, the Generalitat is seeking to restore the balance between technology and human skills. If the trend continues, it would not be surprising if other regions follow suit and review the role of classic subjects in their own education systems.