The economic landscape in Spain has undergone a significant transformation over the past sixteen years, marked by a series of interconnected crises that have reshaped the definition of poverty. This evolving reality was highlighted in an editorial from EL PAÍS titled "Employment and Poverty," published on October 21. The article became part of the exam questions for Language and Literature in the initial phase of Spain's university entrance examinations, known as Selectividad, in Andalucía.

Drawing from a report by Oxfam Intermón, the editorial reveals a stark statistic: in 2022, nearly one-third (29%) of Spaniards at risk of poverty were employed. The crucial issue lies in the quality of these jobs, which is so poor that it fails to lift individuals out of economic hardship. Furthermore, the housing crisis has been identified as a major factor contributing to the pervasive inequality and precarious living conditions.

This Tuesday marks the beginning of the new Selectividad exams across Spain, excluding the Canary Islands and Catalonia. The 2025 Prueba de Acceso a la Universidad (PAU) has registered over 300,000 students and is anticipated to be among the most challenging in recent years due to a change in format. Notably, this year, grammatical errors could lead to a deduction of up to 10% on exercises that require written responses.

Prospective students can explore the entry requirements for various university programs across Spain to plan their academic future accordingly.