Socialist presidential candidate José Luis Rodíguez Zapatero has promised to hire 12,000 part-time native English teachers and 8,000 English language assistants if his party wins the 9th March general election.

At a conference to discuss Educational policy held in Fuenlabrada, Mr Zapatero said that the objective by the end of the next legislation is for 15% of school activity to be conducted in English, and that, within a decade, for all school leavers to speak English well enough to communicate on a social and professional level.

The socialists also propose to introduce beginners' English courses for 4,000 Junior School teachers as well as intensive advanced courses in English-speaking countries for 20,000 Spanish teachers.

And there are also plans to enable 200,000 Spanish children each year to undertake exchange programmes lasting up to a month, which would be a four-fold increase on last year's total.