Italy
Country
Topic:
own administrative, legislative and financial powers. Legislative powers are conferred upon
regional councils with the Regional Commission acting as the executive body. The territory of
each region is organised into Provinces and
Municipalities.
The Italian Constitution of 1948 outlines the basic principles of education including freedom of
education; the State's duty to provide a network of educational establishments of every type
and level open to everyone. It is the duty of parents to ensure their children attend compulsory
education from 6 to 14 years of age.
The Ministry of Public Education (MPI) and the Ministry of University and Scientific and
Technological Research are the two government departments responsible for the central
administration of the education system. At regional and provincial level, the Ministry of Public
Education uses peripheral offices.
Since 1972 there has been increased decentralisation of educational administration with many
state administrative functions now performed by regional and local authorities.
The most important laws reforming the educational system have been:
1962: creation of the compulsory unified lower secondary school system;
1968: creation of the State nursery school system;
1973: establishment of assemblies ("organi collegiali") of educational experimentation;
1977: regulation concerning planning of teaching activities, strategies and methods, pupil
assessment and integration of handicapped pupils;
1990: reform of primary school system.
At present, there is on-going political debate and a re-evaluation of law concerning the
reform of the entire state education system.