BEGOÑAZPI IKASTOLA

History

Begoñazpi´s background

During the dictatorship, teaching in Basque was persecuted , yet in spite of this, and with the help of the Basque Catholic Church’s protection, a great movement for post-war ikastolas took place.

In 1957, the first Basque classes for children started at Saint Nicolas’ Parish, which was subsequently closed that very same year. Yet the following year classes began at Iralabarri Convent. When all was thought to run smoothly, at the end of the 1959/1960 school year, the ikastola was closed down following the Civil Governor's orders and 2 teachers were arrested, accused of teaching in Basque.

The ikastola movement continued and children learned in homes until Resurrección Mª de Azkue Ikastola was founded in 1966 and in 1968 Santiago Parish’s Ikastola, in Lotería street, number 2, and later on, on the 3rd floor of flat number 3 on Banco de España Street.