Valditara presents the Northern Agenda: 220 million to combat school dropout

The minister: “We are also fighting learning gaps in the Centre-North. All students have the same educational opportunities, this is how the country unites"

ROME – One year after “Agenda Sud”, the Minister of Education and Merit, Giuseppe Valditara, presented “Agenda Nord” in Milan , a large plan of interventions which, with a total allocation of 220 million euros, aims to combat school dropout and strengthen skills in the areas of Northern and Central Italy inserted in difficult contexts and with higher rates of dispersion.

“There are realities which, despite being in the same geographical area or even in the same city, suffer from differences linked to the marginality of the social context in which they find themselves. From next September”, declares Valditara, “we will intervene with a ten-action plan. We will implement support activities for teacher training and teaching planning, also encouraging the development of theater and sports projectsthat motivate children, for a school that is always open and closer to everyone. For teachers engaged in extracurricular activities there will be additional compensation. If the school must put the person at the center”, continues Valditara, “we must develop a policy that puts all young people in a position to have equal educational opportunities, regardless of where they were born. Agenda Nord is an essential part of this great project to overcome gaps and reunite the country”.

The resources and the schools

The 220 million allocated for “Agenda Nord” involve around 3 thousand schools in the regions of Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardy, Marche, Piedmont, Tuscany, Umbria, Veneto, and are divided as follows:

• 165.7 million to support 2,919 primary schools to combat school dropout and reduce learning gaps, strengthen basic and transversal skills, pay school staff for the additional hours in which they are involved in implementing educational projects, carrying out laboratory activities (for example, sport, theatre, music, citizenship education), even outside school hours. The funding will vary depending on the indicators of fragility, ranging from 24,000 euros up to over 80,000 euros for the most fragile schools.

• 34.3 million are intended for 245 schools, identified directly by Invalsi, for which further accompanying measures and constant support are envisaged by the MIM, through Indire and Invalsi; specific training of teachers; involvement of families; innovative and laboratory teaching; extension of school time; strengthening of sporting activities. For each school, 140,000 euros will be allocated.

• 20 million for pilot projects in the most fragile areas, identified with the support of Invalsi. In these projects, schools will be able to activate socio-educational and psychological support actions, personalized training courses, orientation and accompaniment.