Schooling in Lanzarote in the 19th Century: Progress, Challenges, and Figures
The process of schooling in Lanzarote during the 19th century was marked by slow progress and numerous administrative, economic, and social obstacles. Primary education, understood as public, free, and compulsory, was the result of a long historical process and did not appear spontaneously, but rather as the outcome of struggles and contradictions within Canarian society[1].
In 1834, there were 33 public schools in the Canary Islands (27 for boys and 6 for girls), of which only 7 were staffed by certified teachers. By 1840, the number of public schools had risen to 53 (37 for boys and 16 for girls), but only 10 teachers had formal qualifications. School attendance was very low: out of a total population of 240,629, only 0.7% attended school, or one in every 144 inhabitants[1].
The Moyano Law of 1857 gave a boost to the creation of new schools, but their funding and administration fell to the municipalities, resulting in inequalities and delays. In 1860, there were 128 public schools in the Canary Islands (93 for boys and 35 for girls), with a school attendance of 7,308 students of both sexes, taught by 168 teachers. However, the proportion of girls was much lower: one girl for every 112 boys[1].
In Lanzarote, the first official public schools in Arrecife were established in 1849, although private schools and some individual initiatives already existed. The importance of education was reflected in the local press, such as Crónica de Lanzarote (1861-1863) and later El Horizonte (1887-1889), which reported that “three-quarters of the population of Lanzarote cannot read or write” and advocated for the spread of public instruction[1].
School attendance was always irregular and low. In Arrecife, for example, in 1887 the number of students in the public boys’ school was 30-40, while private schools had more than 70 boys. The girls’ public school had an enrollment of 110 that year, with regular attendance of 80-90 students[1].
Teachers played a fundamental role, but their working conditions were precarious. Salaries were low and often delayed, with some municipalities owing up to 27 months’ wages. The 1857 law set the annual salary at 825 pesetas for towns like Arrecife, but interim teachers earned half, and additional pay depended on the number of students able to pay[1].
The creation and maintenance of schools depended on municipal initiative, but lack of resources and the influence of agrarian bosses hindered the expansion of primary education. By the end of the 19th century, the illiteracy rate in Lanzarote was 80.05%, far above the national average of 56%[1].
In summary, schooling in Lanzarote during the 19th century advanced slowly, conditioned by economic, social, and administrative factors, and only from 1867 onwards can one speak of a more systematic organization of education throughout the island with the creation of Local Boards and the provision of vacant schools[1].