Spain Culture

Culture

The culture of Spain as a country is not as static as is the case in many other nations. In Spain, the culture is a combination and range of cultures that have been experienced by the nation over the years. The most common culture in the country is that of Ancient Romans. Its culture is, in fact, derivative from the nations that conquered it. This is supported by the country’s art, music, religion and even ancient buildings and ruins.

Religion

Spain does not have a great variety of religions as compared to other countries. The largest portion of Spaniards belongs to the Roman Catholic religious following. This may be credited to the fact that the country has been associated with the rise of the church since historical times. The number of persons that identify themselves as being non-religious is even higher than that of those that identify with other religions.

Language

There are several languages that are spoken in Spain. However, the official language for the nation is Castilian. It is also known as Spanish. Spanish has been majorly influenced by romantics over the years.

Fiestas

Spain is known for the many parties and festivals that the nationals celebrate every year. These range from holy, religious days, national holidays and even agricultural festivals.

Art and Architecture

Art holds a special place in the hearts of Spaniards. The country has various ruins and art collections and exhibits. These range from works of such painters as Francisco Goya, El Greco and other artists such as Salvador Dali.

Education

The education system of Spain is governed by the Ley Organica de Educacion, which translates to the “Organic Law of Education.” This law is an expansion of the 1978 Constitution of the Spanish nation. In Spain, education is a mandatory requirement for every child that is between the ages of 6 and 16 years. In addition to this, it is free for this set of children. The sponsorship in the form of funding of this education system comes from the national administration and the 17 independent communities of Spain.

Quality of Education

Spain has a relatively high quality education. The main reason for this may be connected to the fact that the country’s largest portion of investment in its education is channeled to the compulsory education. This, therefore, means that all the way from the pre-primary education to secondary education, everything is well taken care of. 

Secondary Education

Secondary education in Spain is mandatory under the title “Educación Secundaria Obligatoria.” It is composed of four years which are divided into two cycles. The first cycle ranges from the first year to the third year. The second cycle is the final year, fourth, in secondary school. It is during the second cycle of the secondary school education that the students may opt for the two available alternatives. They may decide to go through vocational training or pursue the Spanish Baccalaureate. All in all, secondary school education ends with the receiving of a Certificate of Education by the students. It is the duty of the country’s education authorities to assist foreign students to integrate within the system, especially through the provision of certain programs. 

Enrollment Rate

It is estimated that virtually every child of 4 years and above has been enrolled in school already. This is an average of about 84-90 percent. This is compared to other countries, most of which have many children beginning school at just about five years or below. Also, a large proportion of students opt to pursue their tertiary education in foreign nations instead of their motherland, Spain. 

Adult Literacy

As of 2013, only an estimate of 54% of the adult population in Spain had an upper secondary or tertiary level of education. This, however, has been projected to increase in a faster rate in the next few years. This is mainly because of the ever increasing number of people between 25 and 34 years who continually attain a minimum of an upper secondary education. As for the older adults, just about 34 percent have a minimum of an upper secondary education.

Conclusions and Recommendations

The culture of Spain has a heavy influence that is derived from the many happenings that the country has gone through over the many years that it has existed. Its culture borrows heavily from its conquerors, artists and the religious wave that had taken place back in historical times. The primary religion in Spain is the Roman Catholic faith. These are, similarly, the effects of the historical crusades and struggles of the Roman Catholic Church ton establish its foundation in Europe. The most common and official language in Spain is Spanish which also bears historical factors. In the same light, fiestas are a commonality in Spain. Art and architecture are also celebrated in Spain. With the combination of all these cultural aspects of Spain, the country has been categorized among the best tourist destinations in the world.

Spaniard education is predominantly the role of the central government and the other community administrations. It requires that all persons between 6 and 16 years to attend school compulsorily. To motivate the citizens and make certain that all the children attend school, the country has made pre-primary, primary and secondary school education free of charge for all its citizens. The country boasts of good quality of education. It does this through the adequate allocation of funds in their education sector. Their secondary education only lasts four years and is mandatory. Upon completion of secondary school, one may either choose to go for tertiary education or simply pursue their vocational jobs. The enrollment rate of the country is relatively high compared to that of other nations. The same applies to the level of adult literacy in which more than half of the population has an upper secondary or tertiary level of education. In this way, Spain has amongst the best education systems in the world. It is free and mandatory and aimed to improve the country.

Recommendations

For the IT Company to adapt to the culture of the Spaniards, they needed to spend quite a while with them as a means through which they may observe and learn how to treat and interact with the nationals. The company may also choose to have promotional events that incorporate the culture of fiestas. In these fiestas, they ought to make sure that the setup and general arrangement demonstrates an appreciation of the nation’s art and architectural background. Even more, the company may enroll the services of the country’s artists and architects in the design, construction and decoration of their new offices in Spain.

In the education sector, the IT Company may decide to present itself as a supportive member of the Spanish society. It may achieve this through the donation of computers to different schools. It may also provide pro bono IT services to schools and even various national or local educational offices. Furthermore, they may team up with the respective governments to promote the continuity of education for students who have completed their secondary education. This may be done through the provision of mentorship services or even scholarships to the most qualified students. Students who may lack the funds to go for tertiary education should also be offered such opportunities. At the end of the day, the main aim is to make them all respectable members of the Spanish society.