Although the Italian education system has traditionally been centrally administered, it has recently become more decentralised. Administrative powers have gradually been devolved to local authorities in the regions, provinces and communes, and to schools. The State, in the form of the Ministry of Public Education (MPI) assisted by the National Education Council (Consiglio Nazionale della Pubblica Istruzione), remains responsible for the planning and supervision of education policy. Through peripheral offices, the MPI also implements centrally-defined political and administrative directives and establishes contact with local authorities to harmonise activities and services.
The State is generally responsible for school funding, but the regions meet some of the operating costs of certain types of schools. In pre-school and compulsory education, tuition is generally free, although parents have to pay some means-tested contributions. At post-compulsory, upper secondary level, all institutions charge enrolment, tuition, examination and laboratory fees, although some students may be exempt on the basis of their family income or results in the end of year assessment.
Officially recognised private schools of a number of different types also exist. In all such schools, the curricula, student assessment and teachers' qualifications must be similar to those in state schools. No fees are charged in the primary sector, although they usually are at secondary level.
In addition, there are completely private institutions (scuole private) administered by private individuals or corporate bodies, charging fees and issuing qualifications that are not legally recognised.
Italian is the official language of instruction, although in some areas the use of the local language (French, German, Ladin or Slovene) is officially authorised for education. These areas have a special form of autonomy and are known as ‘Special Status Regions".
Education is compulsory between the ages of 6 and 15 years. Although education is compulsory, schooling is not. A very small number of students are educated at home, either by their parents or a tutor.
Compulsory education covers primary, lower secondary and the first year only of upper secondary education as follows:
| Age range | Year of compulsory education | |
| Primary education | 6-11 years | Years 1-5 |
| Lower secondary education | 11-14 years | Years 6, 7 and 8 of compulsory education |
| Upper secondary education* | 14-15 years | Year 9 of compulsory education |
*As a whole, this phase caters for 14- to 19-year-olds.
From the age of 3, children can attend state pre-schools/nursery schools (scuole dell'infanzia) which, although not compulsory, constitute the first stage of the education system. State nursery schools offer three years' full-time pre-compulsory education and are free of charge. Although the Ministry of Public Education (MPI) has overall responsibility for these establishments, local authorities are responsible for their administration.
Although there are no prescribed compulsory subjects at pre-school level, the MPI issued guidelines in 1991, recommending that pre-compulsory teachers should plan activities for children incorporating the following ‘fields of educational experience’: body and movement; speech and words; space, order and measure; objects, time and nature; messages, forms and media; and the self and others.
There are also non-state (local or private) nursery schools for 3- to 6-year-olds, which receive funding from the State subject to certain conditions, and daycare centres or crèches for children up to the age of 3.
Post-compulsory education (ages 15+) is provided in several different types of upper secondary school. These establishments also cater for students aged 14 to 15, in the final year of compulsory education. School types include the liceo classico, (general academic upper secondary school), liceo scientifico (scientific upper secondary school), liceo artistico or istituti d’arte (different types of art school), various types of technical school and various vocational schools (istituti professionali). The length of studies depends on the type of course and establishment, and usually ranges from three to five years. Students follow a compulsory curriculum, which varies according to school type. The courses grant access to higher education, or employment at middle-management level or as specialist workers. Students generally have to pay tuition fees to attend upper secondary school.
The education system generally provides full integration in state schools offering compulsory level education, and in pre-schools, for children who have special educational needs, irrespective of the extent of these needs. Integration is achieved through a coordinated plan of school services, health and social assistance, cultural, recreation and sport centres, as well as through activities managed by public or private bodies. There are, however, a few special institutes for the blind and deaf and speech impaired.
In primary school classes that include children with special educational needs, the maximum class size is 20 students. At other levels of education, a precise maximum class size is not indicated by central government, but 20 is common as a maximum.
The school year usually comprises at least 200 days and runs from September to August. It is divided into three terms with a long summer break of 13 to 15 weeks in June, July and August, a two week break at Christmas, a short break of one to five days during the spring term and a break of around one week at Easter.
Schools are open either five or six days each week (Monday to Saturday). Daily schedules vary, but are usually from around 8:30 am to 4:30 pm over five days or 8:00 am to 1:00 pm or 8:30 am to 1:30 pm over six days.
In Year 1 of primary education (6- to 7-year-olds) the timetable is set at 27 hours per week, increasing to 30 hours in Year 2 (ages 7 – 8) or, more usually, Year 3 (ages 8 – 9). At lower secondary level (11- to 14-year-olds), the weekly timetable is also 30 hours.
There is a statutory national curriculum for both compulsory (ages 6 – 15) and post-compulsory education (ages 15+).
The compulsory subjects in primary education in Italy are: Italian language, a foreign language (from Year 2 or 3, children aged 7+ or 8+ respectively), mathematics, science, history, geography, social studies, art education, music, and physical education. In the first two years of primary education (Years 1 and 2, children aged 6 – 8 years), teaching is generally multidisciplinary; subjects begin to be taught individually from Year 3 of primary education onwards (children aged 8 - 11).
The teaching of specific individual subjects gets fully underway at lower secondary level (ages 11-14). During this phase, the compulsory common curriculum comprises: Italian, history, civic education and geography, a foreign language (usually English or French), sciences (includes mathematics, physics, chemistry, and natural sciences), technical education, artistic education, music, and physical education.
At upper secondary level, the compulsory curriculum followed varies according to the type of school a student attends and the course followed.
State schools have to offer religious education (usually the teaching of the Catholic religion), although this is optional for students.
Civic education is taught with history and geography and is a compulsory curricular subject at lower secondary level (ages 11 – 14).
Schools do not tend to offer formal careers education and guidance. However, families and students are able to meet with teachers to ask for advice and guidance. This is especially common in Year 3 of lower secondary education (ages 13 -14), when students have to decide which type of upper secondary school they wish to attend in the following academic year.
Textbooks are commercially produced and are not approved by the State, although government guidelines are issued on cost and the frequency of updates. They are selected for use in class by the Teachers' Assembly (Collegio dei docenti), comprising all teachers in the school and parent representatives. Textbooks are generally provided free of charge at primary level, but parents usually buy thereafter.
Students are assessed regularly throughout the school year and take compulsory examinations at the end of each phase (see below). Although unusual, failure in assessment may result in a student having to repeat a year, before promotion to the next school year or phase. Reporting to parents usually takes the form of the scheda personale (record of a student’s overall progress), which is issued every three or four months, including at the end of the school year. Consultations with teachers are also common.
At the end of compulsory lower secondary education, students take the lower secondary leaving examination (licenza media). The esame di stato, taken at the end of upper secondary education (ages 18/19) entitles holders to progress to higher education. Other qualifications are also available at upper secondary level, on completion of three-year courses in vocational or artistic upper secondary schools, for example.
Initial teacher training is provided by universities. The type of course followed depends on the level at which students wish to teach. Pre-school and primary teachers usually follow a four-year degree in primary education sciences. The first two years of the course are the same for all students; the final two differ depending on whether students wish to become pre-school or primary teachers. To qualify as secondary school teachers, students follow a two-year postgraduate specialisation course at a scuola di specializzazione (specialisation school), following completion of a first degree in a specialist subject. Success in the above courses enables students to participate in the competitive examinations for the allocation of primary or secondary school teaching places.