Drop outs in Italy Basic indicators – School year from: Statistics by the Ministry of Public Education

Topic and context School drop outs in the Italian secondary school, through the analysis of a set of indicators given the high percentage of early school-leavers in the partner countries, the EU calls for raising the level of skills TOPICTOPIC CONTEXTCONTEXT

SCHOOL DROP OUTS Irregular school attendance School failure School withdrawal and early- leaving Low level of school education (compulsory secondary education) Low level of socio- economic development Strong attraction towards easy-to- start jobs Compulsory schooling from 14 ys to 16 ys and introduction of the so-called diritto- dovere until 18 ys Indecision at the moment of choosing Repetition rate Delay rate Non-admission rate Ineffective guidance Learning difficulties

CLASSICAL EDUCATION ARTISTIC EDUCATIO N TECHNICAL EDUCATION TRADITIONAL PATHINTEGRATED PATH VOCATIONAL EDUCATION UNIVERSITY HIGHER EDUCATION NON-UNIVERSITY HIGHER EDUCATION UPPER SECONDARY SCHOOL (USS) (age 14-19) LABOUR MARKET PRIMARY SCHOOL (age 6-11) COMPULSORY SECONDARY SCHOOL (age 11-14) APPRENTICESHIP EDUCATION AND TRAINING COMPULSORY SCHOOLING 10YS THE ITALIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM

Italian Laws concerning Education and Training (= the Italian efforts to fight against: school drop-outs, early school-leaving and early entrance into the labour market) L. 9/1999 – schooling until 12 school years L. 15/04/2005 – schooling until 8 school years Financial Law 2007 – schooling until 16 years of age and the so-called E&T Diritto-Dovere until 18 years of age (this means that young people cannot stop their education and training path until they have attained a qualification within the licei system, the vocational education and training system as well as the apprenticeship system (until 18 years of age)

1. What do we mean by school drop outs? School drop outs = early/untimely entrance into the labour market without possessing specific competences (young people with a low level of school education and/or only possessing the first cycle of education certificate)

2. What do we mean by school drop outs? 1.The number of drop- outs in a schoolyear “National” indicators used: Number of students repeating one or more years; Number of students passed with “school debits”; Delays summed up in the various school years; Passages to another course of studies 2.The number of young people aged possessing only the first cycle of education certificate and away from the education and training system “European” indicators used: Number of early school leavers* (*) one of the indicators used by the European Union to monitor the progress in raising the overall level of competence of the population in the partner countries according to the education objectives stated in the Lisbon European Council in the year 2000”

Young people possessing only the first cycle of education certificate : data concerning the year 2006 The Italian mean 20,8% The European mean 15,3% Regions showing more difficulties

To solve the critical situation in the South of Italy: Regional Policies ( and ) Structural Funding (PON Programma Operativo Nazionale) to prevent and recover the school retention. The youngsters and adults’ inadequate level of competences contributes in the productive stagnation and weak social mobility

Indicators to evaluate the effectiveness of PON “Competences for the development” Reduction % early school-leaving (from 26% to 10%) Reduction % students 15ys with poor competences in reading (from 35% to 20%) Reduction % students 15ys with poor competences in maths (from 48% to 21%) Reduction to 10% of the youngsters devoid of a upper secondary school diploma (see indicator early-school leavers)

Early school-leaving Reason for school withdrawal: to move to another school because of an irregular attendance or complete unattendance (even though never officially communicated) in courses offered by the education and training school system or in the integrated path offered by the Regions to acquire a vocational qualification

Official data on school drop outs* (* data provided by the Ministry of Education concerning State and State-recognised schools in the school year 2006/2007) Compulsory Secondary School (1st grade) 2.791students (=0,1% enrolled) Upper Secondary School (2nd grade) ** students (=1,6% enrolled) (** mostly in the first year of the course)

Analysing drop-outs: criteria In which geographical area? In which cycle? In which kind of school? In which kind of education and training path? What are the most discouraging subjects?

Analysing drop outs : in which geographical area? NORTH The easy-to-start jobs not requiring a specialization, cause students to leave school early SOUTH The low level of socio- economical development causes students to leave school early =

Analysing drop outs : in which cycle ? Compulsory Secondary School > in the first 2 years 2,7% students repeating the 1st year 3,2% students repeating the 2nd year Upper Secondary School > in the first 2 years 8,5% students repeating the 1st year 7,2% students repeating the 2nd year

Analysing drop outs : in which kind of school? Classical Education 90 out of 100 no failure (classical, scientific, linguistic upper secondary school) Technical Education 63 out of 100 no failure 8,2% repeating one year Vocational Education 57 out of 100 no failure 8,9% repeating one year

Analysing drop outs : in which kind of education and training path? Rate of non-admission to the following year: Vocational Schools23,8% Technical Schools17,8% Reason: ineffectiveness in choosing the upper secondary school if compared with one’s attitudes and inclinations

Analysing drop outs : What are the most discouraging subjects ? -Maths* -Foreign Languages -Technical-professional Subjects *OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) has measured the Italian students skills in Math and Reading. Results: 1. The Nord of Italy shows > competences 2. There are differences in assessing skills=> it should be advisable to use shared assessment tools all over Italy