Italy
Education System — an overview
Italy's basic education system is constitutionally based and guarantees free, compulsory education for all children. The educational philosophy of the Italian education system differs from that of teachers who focus on student focus. A high-quality curriculum was designed to facilitate school transfer in both public and private schools. There has been a gradual transition from memory-sharing and experimentation to less formal approaches, which emphasize the ingenuity of developing and applying critical questions and higher thinking skills. In 1989 all matters relating to higher education were referred to the Department of Universities and Scientific Research.
The Italian education system provides a school for children aged 3 to 5; primary school for 6-11 year olds; primary or secondary school for 11-14 year olds; high school or vocational training for 15- to 18- or 19-year-olds; and universities, university institutions, or Fine Arts schools for those 19 years and older. High schools include high school or science schools (five years) leading to higher education / university studies; art (four years); technical school (five years); vocational school (five years or more); kindergarten and primary school teacher training (three years); and higher / university education (three to five years).
general responsibility for education in Italy is located on two roads: Department of Public Education for kindergarten, primary, and secondary and the Department of Universities and Scientific Research. There is close communication between the two departments and the Department of Finance regarding budget issues and the Department of Labor and Social Security by linking the school to the world of work. Educational reform continues in Italy with a strong focus on the role of services in terms of policy, budget, curriculum, teaching, and management or distribution of responsibilities.