EDUCATION SYSTEM IN ITALY Acquaviva delle Fonti - Italy. EDUCATION SYSTEM IN ITALY Trikala 2-6 febrary 2013

Lower secondary school Vocational institutes 2½~4 4~5 5~6 6~7 7~8 8~9 9~10 10~11 11~12 12~13 13~14 14~15 15~16 16~17 17~18 18~19 19~20 20~21 21~22 22~23 23~24 Pre- education Primary school Secondary school Higher education (I) (II) (III) I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII XIII Kinder- garten Public or private Public or private Compulsory Lower secondary school Upper secondary school: Licei post-secondary university  Technical Institutes Vocational institutes Compulsory only 1-2 years

fonte: Ministero dell'Istruzione dell'Università e della Ricerca

Public education is compulsory from six to sixteen years of age Public education is compulsory from six to sixteen years of age. It lasts for 10 years. The education system is divided into four phases: 1. primary school 2. secondary school: - lower secondary school - upper secondary school 3. post-secondary (no tertiary education) or university For students with disabilities is possible to attend all of this step.

The pupils are given a basic education in: It lasts 5 years, from 6 to 11. The pupils are given a basic education in: Italian English Mathematics Natural science History Geography Social Studies Physical education Visual art Musical art

The secondary schools system is divided into two categories:

It lasts 3 years from the age 11 to 14. The subjects, taught at the primary level, are taught at a much advanced level with the addition of other language (French, German, Spanish), Technology and Musical art.  At the end there is the first final exam of compulsory education system.

Upper secondary education included the lyceums, technical schools and vocational school It lasts 5 years. Only the first and second years are compulsory. At the end there is an exam called Esame di stato (Statal Exam – in fact the teachers are of other schools and the tests are the same for all Italian schools). Any kind of secondary school that lasts 5 years grants access to the final exam. This exam takes place at the end of the fifth year, between June and July, and grants access to University or to post-secondary education.

There are several types of schools differentiated by subjects and activities. The main division is between :  Liceo  Istituto Tecnico (Technical Institute)  Istituto Professionale  (Vocational Institute) They have some subjects in common, such as Italian, History, Mathematics, one or two foreign languages (expecially English), Physical education, while other subjects are peculiar to a particular type of these schools.

Liceo classico focused on classical studies (Latin, Ancient Greek, Italian, History , Philosophy and Art history) Liceo linguistico  puts emphasis on modern foreign languages  (English, French, Spanish and German – although recently Russian, Arabic and Chinese have been introduced as well). Liceo Scientifico, whose programme is focused on scientific studies (Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology) but reminds also Liceo Classico in teaching Italian, Latin, History and Philosophy).

Liceo Artistico, which is oriented toward arts teaching – both in theoretical (Art history, Architecture, ...) and practical (Drawing, Picture, Sculpture, Graphics, Scenografy, Audiovisual). Liceo delle Scienze Umane, focused on social sciences (Pedagogy, Psychology,Sociology, Political economy and Social research). Liceo Musicale e Coreutico, a new school which comprises two sectors: musicale, which specialises in music and teaches students to play an instrument. coreutico, which specialises in dance.

The  Technical Institute is more oriented toward practical subjects. It comprises 2 sectors: - Technological sector divided into 9 branches (Electronics, construction management, biotechnology, metalworking, visual communication, fashion and food industry) - Economics sector divided into 2 branches (tourism, marketing and financial administration)

The organization of both technical and vocational institutes is under reform. The reform should be gradually implemented starting from school year 2010/2011. Studies in vocational institutes will refer to 2 sectors: - the service sector (4 branches) - the industry and handicraft sector (2 branches)

Only in Vocational school, in the fourth and the fifth year, the students attend a course of 300 hours, called III Area (Terza Area) in the afternoon and they have to do it. It’s a regional project that links the vocational school with the working world. This 300 hours are composed by 180 spent in theoretical lessons made by experts and 120 spent in stages in specific companies.

At the end there is an exam which the students have the recognition of professional qualification with (level ISCED 4).

Vocational education and training Is a part of the second cycle of the education system The vocational education and training (IeFP) is a regional responsibility and is divided into following types of offer: · Three-year courses for the degree-qualification; · Four-year courses, for the attainment of a professional degree.

VET provides for the acquisition of: · Basic skills of type linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, historical, social and economic; · Technical and professional skills areas (safety, quality, health, environment); · Technical and professional skills specific to professional content of the national figure reference. At the end of these pathways is expected to achieve a qualification or a diploma (for the four-year courses), which are certificates given by the Regions and nationally recognized. The training is carried out by accredited training agencies and schools.

The vocational schools operate through two types of training offered: integrated and complementary. In the first, students enrolled in the vocational school for 5 years can take a qualification at the end of the third year, making a specific integration of school curricula; in the second, the students can obtain qualifications and certificate at the vocational schools. These schools have to use the training standards and regulation of the vocational education and training of VET.

Distribution of students in upper secondary schools by type of school

Reform of V title of the Constitution (2001, art.117) The State has exclusive legislative powers for the definition general rules on education. The Regions have 'exclusive' legislative powers over vocational education and training, although the State is responsible for setting the basic principles. In factLaw no. 3 of 2001 reformed Title V of the Constitution; in particular, art. 117 draws a distinction between :

a) general education, which falls under the exclusive competence of the State as for general rules, essential levels of performance and fundamental principles of legislation at regional level; b) vocational education and training, which falls under the responsibility of the Regions, although the essential levels of performance remain under the responsibility of the State. Provinces and local authorities provide school buildings and infrastructure, and carry out tasks in the area of adult education and career guidance, including the management of employment services.

The I. T. S. were estabilished in the 2011 The I.T.S. were estabilished in the 2011. They are only 62 in all over the Italy. They last 2 years (2.000 hours) max 3. They falls under competence of the State in agreement of other entities. It is a new experience and we don’t know if it will be good!

After diploma it is possible to attend a course of 1 year (800 hours) to recieve a certification of professional competences. This is a regional activity.

The principal institutional bodies governing the Italian educational system are: at national level, The Ministry of Education University and research (MIUR); at regional level, The Regional School Authorities (USR) and the Regions; at local level, the Provinces, Municipalities and schools. The Ministry of Education, University and Research has complete authority over the programming/funding of the education system, school rules/regulations and personnel recruitment. The Regional School Authorities act as the peripheral seats of the Ministry and are territorially responsible for implementing national policies through their administrative, supervisory and inspectorate duties. At the end the USRs assign the economic and human resources to the schools.

The competences attributed to the Regions are undergoing redefinition at the moment, in the wake of a constitutional reform. This, which began in 2001, led to the 2009 Law on fiscal federalism which decreeted the transfer of powers/competences from the State to the Regions. At the moment the relations between the various level of government are a little confused.

In 1999 the Italian university system switched from the old system (vecchio ordinamento, which led to the traditional 5-year Laurea degree, or, in some cases, to a 4- year Laurea degree), to the new system (nuovo ordinamento). It split the former Laurea into two different tracks: the Laurea triennale (a three-year degree akin to the Bachelor's Degree), followed by the Laurea specialistica or Master's Degree (another 2-years), renamed Laurea Magistrale in 2007. A credit system was established to quantify the amount of work needed by each course and exam (25 work hours = 1 credit), as well as enhance the possibility to change course of studies or to continue studies in a foreign country after the first 3 years

Quality Assurance of Vocational Education and Training The process of referencing the Italian Qualification System (NQS) to the EQF is gradually going on. Moreover, the Italian NRP (Punto Nazionale di Riferimento to accord different diplomas) has organized, on December 2010, an international conference on Quality Assurance of Vocational Education and Training which was attended by Ministries, Regions, Social Partners, VET providers and National stakeholder. The Conference allowed to formally start defining the national approach on quality assurance in Vet.

Thank you for your attention!