Primary and secondary education in Italy - statistics & facts

Typically, non-tertiary education in Italy ranges from six to 19 years of age, for a total of 13 years, although some leave at the age of 16. The school year usually starts in the second week of September and finishes at the beginning of June. There are no major breaks during the year, as summer holidays last for around 13 weeks.

Primary and middle school

Before starting mandatory education at elementary school, children can attend preschool facilities, such as nurseries and kindergartens, depending on their age. The latter are open to children between three and six years old, while for nurseries they must be at least three months old. Both are public preschools, even though families must pay a small rate to cover learning activities for kindergartens managed by local municipalities; state ones are free, besides a tariff for daily meals. Primary school lasts for five years, with English and physical activity being taught right from the first year, while Catholic religious education is an optional subject. In the school year 2021/2022, 2.5 million children were enrolled at elementary schools, with an average number of 18 pupils per class. Until 2004, pupils aged 11 had to pass a state exam before moving on to secondary schools.

Lower secondary education (middle school) starts at eleven years old and continues for three years. In addition to the general subjects taught in primary school, among others, Italian, history, math, science, and music, a second European foreign language completes the learning plan. The number of pupils enrolled at middle schools reached 1.7 million in 2022. Grading is based on a scale between zero and ten, with six being the pass threshold, and, at the end of the third year, students must take a school-leaving exam. It consists of three written tests, one in Italian, one in math, and a language test combining English and the second foreign language. They are followed by an oral test, aimed at assessing comprehensive knowledge and skills. The final mark is the average in tenths between the exam admission grade and the mean of the grades obtained in the tests. Only pupils achieving six or above can enroll at high schools.

Upper secondary school: liceo, istituto tecnico, or istituto professionale

The upper secondary education system comprises three different schooling paths, lasting five years: general high school (Liceo), technical high school (Istituto tecnico), and vocational school (Istituto professionale). Students must choose one of them, according to their personal interests and abilities. Liceo offers a solid education on general culture and knowledge and a specific preparation for university studies. It is divided into different types, each with particular core subjects. In the school year 2022/2023, 580,000 students were enrolled at Liceo scientifico, with math, physics, and natural sciences as relevant disciplines. On the contrary, Liceo classico is especially centered on Latin, ancient Greek, literature, and philosophy. Psychology, anthropology, and pedagogy are the core subjects of Liceo delle scienze umane, whereas in Liceo linguistico foreign languages play the major role. Liceo artistico, with a core on fine arts and design, and Liceo musicale e coreutico, focused on music and dance, are further learning possibilities.

Instead, istituto tecnico provides very good general and scientific education, while granting students greater opportunities upon entering the job market after graduating. Technical high schools come in two forms; istituto tecnico economico and istituto tecnico tecnologico. The former emphasizes disciplines like political economy, accounting, business economics, and law, coupled with IT and foreign languages. The latter, assures sound knowledge and skills in electronics and electrical engineering, graphic design, automation, chemistry, and computer science. In the school year 2022-2023, more than 790,000 students were enrolled at technical high schools. Lastly, istituto professionale prepares students for a specific profession, insisting on practical skills. Occupational sectors include agriculture, handicraft, machinery maintenance, food and hotel industry, and social services. Additionally, regions can institute three-year vocational schools, aimed at fulfilling the compulsory education requirement.

At the end of their final year, students must take a school-leaving exam, the Esame di Maturità. It comprises two written and one oral test. The first written one evaluates Italian language and literature, while the second the institution’s core discipline. In the interview, students must be able to make interdisciplinary connections between the different subjects. Scored from zero to 100, the final mark is the sum of credit points earned through the school performance over the last three years and the grades obtained in the tests. Students achieving 60 or above obtain a high school diploma. Around 44 percent of the population hold at least an upper secondary education title. On the contrary, one third of Italians has only a primary or a lower secondary school diploma.

Inefficient public spending and teachers’ job insecurity

In recent years, the amount of public investment in education has constantly expanded, reaching 79 billion euros in 2022. Most of the budget was earmarked for secondary education, around 29 billion euros, while 35 billion euros were allocated for primary and pre-primary schools. However, public spending recorded significantly lower figures compared to other European countries, which invest a considerable amount of their Gross Domestic Product in fostering the education system. Italy ranked well below the European Union average, with only four percent of GDP assigned to schools and universities.

Teachers’ temporary employment and low wages are chronic problems of the Italian public school system. Despite the continuous hiring of new personnel, one quarter of the instructors do not have a permanent contract. Around 235,000 teachers in 2023 lost their job at the end of the school year and had to take on a new recruitment procedure to confirm their position for the following year. This phenomenon has worsened over the years, to the detriment of students and pupils, as they may begin the school year without an instructor, as many of them are appointed only after the lessons' official start. Additionally, teachers’ actual salaries rank among the lowest in Europe. Upper secondary school teachers earned 41,000 euros gross in 2022, 6,210 euros less than the European average, and 3,460 euros less than a middle school teacher working in other EU countries. Trade unions have repeatedly voiced for a wage increase and extension of working contracts to stabilize the school workforce, but the response appears ineffective for inverting the trend so far.