After the meeting with the students and the Observatory, the Ombudsman of Navarre made an appearance asking the Government of Navarre and the UPNA “to offer the possibility of doing the Degree in Nursing, as well as the other required studies, in Basque and to take all the necessary steps to achieve this objective”.

In response to the Ombudsman’s suggestion, the UPNA has declared itself powerless in terms of hiring teachers and the Department of Education of the Government of Navarre has endorsed the proposal, saying that it will take measures to increase the Basque language in its agreement with the UPNA. Currently, only two classes are offered in Basque throughout the degree.

Students take the word

Two students who want to study nursing in Basque have reported their situation during the presentation. Amaia Muela, a native of Tudela, has been educated in Basque until she reaches high school: “I’m studying nursing at the UPNA, but at the moment I can’t study there in Basque. It was hard for me to see that coming to Pamplona I could not do Nursing in Basque at the University. I know that, like me, there are many students who want to learn Basque. And that in Nursing, in particular, just over half of us are Basques. But the situation is that we only have two lessons in Basque throughout the entire career. The NUP is violating our rights and we demand a solution.”

Ane Urkia also studies Nursing at the UPNA: “We believe that a close and trusting relationship with people with health problems is essential for them to be treated with quality. Communication is the key here. Just as the Basques are served in their own language, so are the Basques entitled to receive it in Basque.”