2021

Educational guidelines for the integrated system 0-6 – update

On 27 December Ministerial Decree 334/2021 that includes the Educational guidelines for the integrated system from 0 to 6 years of age (Linee pedagogiche per il sistema integrato zerosei) has ended the approval procedure.

Educational guidelines for the integrated system 0-6

On 6 December 2021, the Ministry of education announced the approval of the  the Educational Guidelines (Linee pedagogiche) for the integrated system from 0 to 6 years of age. The relevant Ministerial Decree is undergoing the approval procedure.

The text of the guidelines has undergone a consultation phase with stakeholders, ended with the approval of the final document that represents the framework of the whole ECEC system. The Guidelines do not replace the already existing National Guidelines for the curriculum of 2012 that apply in pre-primary schools neither the future guidelines for the ECEC 0-3 (please see below).

The educational guidelines 0-6 consist of six parts: the rights of childhood, the educational ecosystem, a child-centred system, curriculum and planning, principles of professionality, governance guarantee.

Educational guidelines for the ECEC 0-3

On the 6 December 2021, the Ministry of education launched the draft text of the educational guidelines for the ECEC offer 0-3 (Orientamenti nazionali per i servizi educativi per l’infanzia) that, together with the guidelines for the ECEC 0-6 (please see above) and the National Guidelines for the curriculum for ECEC 3-6, will complete the framework of guidelines for the whole ECEC system.

Educational guidelines consist of five chapters. Issues go from the history of educational services for children aged 0 to 3, to the rights of small children, the involvement of parents, the professional role of educators and the organisational aspects such as spaces, furniture, materials, etc.

Educational guidelines are now undergoing the consultation phase with stakeholders before being approved and published.

Measures to start school activities for the school and academic year 2021/2022

On 6 August 2021, the Government has approved the Law-Decree no. 111, which contains the urgent measures to be taken to contrast the Covid-19 pandemic for the school and academic year 2021/2022.

The Decree will be discussed in Parliament and must be approved by 9 October, otherwise its effects, already in force since 7 August, will cease. In case of approval by law, the measures will apply until the end of the Covid- 19 emergency, set at 31 December 2021.

On 10 September the Government has approved the Law-Decree no. 122 that widens the measures of the previous decree.

The measures apply to all institutions of the State and Regional education and training systems.

As for ECEC and school settings, the Decrees establish that:

• distance learning activities will not be carried out unless otherwise decided at regional or municipal level exclusively for institutions located in the red or orange areas of risk according to the criteria established at national level;
• at all school levels, staff and students, with the exception of children under the age of 6 and those who are exempt from it for certified reasons, must wear a mask;
• all must be at least 1 meter away and access to those with a body temperature above 37.5 ° C is not allowed;
• teaching and non-teaching staff must have and show the green certification known as 'Green pass', that is the document that certifies either the vaccination against SARS-CoV-2, or the recovery from the infection or the negative response to a swab test;
• the dispositions on the green pass apply to all people who access premises as external visitors, including parents.

The Green pass is not mandatory for those who are exempted from the vaccination campaign for certified reasons.

2020

Guidelines for starting the 2020/2021 school year in ECEC settings

On 31st of July 2020, the Ministry of education and the Regions have agreed on the text of the guidelines for starting all the 0-6 ECEC services in September.

The guidelines focus on the wellbeing and health security of children at nurseries and pre-primary schools. Groups of children will be organised in order to help the identification of educators/teachers and children to limit the effect of contagious cases at school. Children under 6 years of age are exempted from wearing PPE, while educators, teachers and parents are not.

Special attention is given to entrance and exit from school. Only one of the parents is allowed to bring and take children from school and, if possible, they should remain outside the school premises. For a igher level of security, it will be possible to record the presences and the names of those who access the school.

Spaces will be organised in order to guarantee the activities for the different ages. However, it will not be possible to carry out activities that involve children from different classes. Toys and didactic equipment will be assigned to each group in an exclusive way. It is recommended the use of external spaces.

2019

Civic education

On the 2nd May 2019, the Chamber of Deputies has approved the bill no. 682 on the introduction of the compulsory teaching of civic education as a separate subject of the compulsory curriculum at primary and secondary level.

In ECEC settings, children aged 3 to 6 will be involved in initiatives aimed at raising their awareness of the contents and principles of the Italian Constitution.

Following the approval of the final text by the Parliament, the law has been published in the Official Journal as law n. 92 of 20 August 2019.

The teaching of civic education will start in school year 2020/2021.