Otranto

1. Otranto

2. Otranto The Greek Hydrus, the Roman Hydruntum – lies between the valley of the river Idro and the Adriatic sea. It was for many centuries the political, cultural and commercial centre of the Salento, which is still called “Terra d’Otranto”. Its origins and name date back from the earliest colonization of Magna Graecia that made this town, the most eastern in Italy, the bridge connecting the East with the western societies of the Mediterranean area. Before the Turks destroeyd it (1480), Otranto played a leading role in history especially during the Middle Ages, the Crusades and the long periods of struggles between the Papacy and the Empire, between the Byzantines, Goths and Longobards, and then during Norman times. Otranto is lucky enough to have an exceptional good climate throughout most of the year. Otranto has been awarded for the third year "Five sails" from Lega Ambiente, as the most beautiful resort in Italy.

3. The numbers of the Italian school Boys an Girls State 7.687.692 Private 991.620 TOTAL 8.679.312 TeachersState 747.155 Private 95.081 TOTAL 842.236 Which is the problem? The elevated number of Teachers almost absorb the whole of the economic resources of the Education Office

4. The new system of education and formation Specialistic degree Education and higher formation Degree of first level 2^State Examination High school and professional formation Second Cycle 1^State Examination Secondary school of first degree First Cycle Primary school Nursery school

5. School Autonomy Autonomy regulations (approved with Presidential Decree no. 275 of 8-3-1999) have transferred to schools important administrative and managing functions of the educational service as well as high responsibility tasks such as definition of curricula, widening of the educational offer, organization of school time and classes,within the frame of general branches valid at national level.

6. The new system of education and formation The state school system is currently divided into: Nursery school - 3 year duration and attended by children from 3 to 5 years of age. It is not compulsory. Primary school- 5 year duration. The school is attended by children from 6 to 10 years of age and is compulsory. Secondary school of first degree- 3 year duration and completes the compulsory education requirement. It is attended by boys and girls from 11 to 13 years of age and concludes with a state examination. On passing it the pupils obtain their lower secondary school diploma. Secondary school - set up for difference streams, some of which have different specialisations. The upper secondary schools specialising in the humanities and scientific fields have a 5 year programme, and conclude with a state examination. On passing it the pupils obtain a classical or scientific upper secondary school diploma. The technical category also lasts 5 years and is divided into various specialisations (chemistry, mechanics, electronics, etc.), ending in a state examination to obtain the technical school diploma. Then there are vocational schools whose duration varies depending on the specific specialisations. Pupils obtain a certificate. Finally, the artistic category is divided into two types: artistic lyceum and arts institute. Pupils obtain a high school diploma.

7. Newsystem The reform will introduce a nursery school with a duration of 3 years in which children aged 2 and a half can enrol. The first education cycle will last 8 years in total. Children aged 5 and a half will be able to enrol and a foreign language and computer literacy will be taught from the first year. At the end of the first cycle there will be a state examination. Then the children will decide whether to continue studying at the upper secondary school level (they will be able to choose between 8 different kinds of lyceums) or choose to attend a vocational school which will also include job internships. All boys and girls will have the right/duty to attend school, or a course of professional formation, until the age of 18.

8. School Autonomy Each school prepares the: Piano dell'Offerta Formativa (POF) Plan of the Formative Offer that is the fundamental document of the cultural and planning identity of the school; it must be consistent with the general and educational objectives of the various kinds and branches of study established at national level. It must reflect cultural, social and economic requirements of the local reality, taking into consideration the local planning of the educational offer.

9. P O FPlainof theFormativeOffer The POF includes the different methodological options, including those of minority-groups; it is devised by the Collegio dei Docenti on the basis of general objectives defined by the Consiglio di Istituto, taking into account proposals and advises of organisations and associations, even de facto, of parents associations and, as far as upper secondary schools are concerned also of students associations. It must be approved by the Consiglio di Istituto and it is available to the public and given the students and their family on the point of the enrolment.

10. School autonomy includes Teaching autonomy Organization autonomy Autonomy in research, experimentazion and development

11. The State is responsible for school funding both for educational and administrative purposes. Regions have to provide services and assistance to students (canteens, transportation, textbooks for primary schools, aid to the less wealthy, social and health assistance) out of their own budget and they also have to finance plans for the building of schools. Provinces and Municipalities can be delegated by the Region to provide assistance and services and their function is that of providing for school heating, lighting and telephone connections, maintaining school buildings. According to the Law Decree (n.112 of 31-03-1999) in the field of education the State remains responsible for the tasks and functions which concern the criteria and parameters for the organization of the school system, its evaluation, the functions relating to the determination and allocation of financial resources debited to the State budget and for the allocation of staff to schools. To the Regions instead is delegated the planning of the integrated formative offer, a combination of education and vocational training, the programming of the school network on the basis of provincial plans, the fixing of the school calendar, contributions to non state schools, and vocational training. Finally, to the Provinces, in relation to upper secondary schools, and to the Communes, in relation to schools of lower levels, are delegated the functions concerning the establishment, the aggregation, the amalgamation and the closing down of schools, the suspension of lessons for serious and urgent reasons, the setting up of school collegiate councils, control and vigilance, over them, including their dissolution.

12. The Ministry ofEducation The Ministry of Education lays down a general frame to which school autonomy must refer in order to assure the uniformity of the Italian educational system. In fact, the Ministry of Education establishes the general objectives of the educational process; the specific objectives of learning relating to pupil skills; the subjects of the minimum national curriculum and their annual teaching hours; the total annual compulsory timetable of curricula; standards related to the service quality; general criteria for pupil assessment, for the recognition of study credits and for the recovery of study debts; general criteria for the organisation of study paths of adult education.

13. The Headmaster The Dirigente Scolastico (Headmaster) is responsible for the overall management of the institution, of which he will have legal responsibility; he is responsible for the management of financial and material resources and for the quality of the service provided. With due respect of the competencies of the “organi collegiali” of the school, the Dirigente scolastico has autonomy in his role of direction, co-ordination, and exploitation of resources, and to this purpose he promotes the necessary interventions aimed at guaranteeing quality in the educational processes and providing for the collaboration of cultural, professional social and economic resources present in the community. He is the trade union representative. In carrying out his management and administrative duties, the Dirigente scolastico can resort to teachers, whom he will have selected, and to whom specific tasks can be delegated; in addition he is assisted by the administrative director. The qualification of Dirigente Scolastico has departed from year 2000. With the preceding system he could participate only in the contest for Dirigente Scolastico the teacher with at least seven years of service in the school. Today it is possible that the Manager Regional Scholastic (my hierarchical superior) checks to also direct the School external personnel to the scholastic system (this is not happened yet, but all of us in Italy are afraid that the norm can be applied subsequently considering that they are around three thousand the schools that have a temporary Executive). Elio LIA