Reggio Calabria – The bill was approved unanimously by the Regional Council of Calabria, on the initiative of the Council and proposed by the vice-president with responsibility for the branch, Giusi Princi, for the establishment of the integrated education and training system from birth to six years. This is a structural and significant law that will help fill the gap in territorial educational poverty linked to childhood: in Calabria, in fact, only 3% of boys and girls use nursery schools or educational services for children. “Today we write a historical page for the Calabria Region – supports Vice President Princi – because finally, after 11 years, we are repealing regional law 15 of 2013 which prevented us from implementing the integrated education system and, until now, from aligning ourselves with national legislation and making use of the related resources. Now, in fact, after the 15 million euros co-financed by the Calabria Region which allowed access to the overall ministerial allocation which amounts to 80 million euros and which will be destined to activate nursery schools, spring section and educational centers for children, for over the next few years, as part of the action plan of the Education Department, we have foreseen 22 million euros which will implement the spring sections in the internal areas and will provide vouchers to be allocated to less well-off families in order to take advantage of free nursery schools”.
“The approval by the Council of this bill – remarks Giusi Princi – represents an important goal to guarantee, to all girls and boys, from birth to six years, equal opportunities to develop their potential, together with the need to create the connection between the two segments (zero-three and three-six years ), and therefore implement all the necessary actions to create a path of educational continuity, an element of quality for the pre-school education of boys and girls, thus allowing the transition from a social welfare vision, such as that of the previous regional plan, to an educational vision in which the learning of boys and girls is increasingly central”.
The bill, which is made up of 28 articles, was developed and shared by the working table, specifically established at the regional education department and coordinated by the sector manager Anna Perani, represented by the regional school office (Usr), by the Federation Italian nursery schools (Fism), by the Anci (National Association of Italian Municipalities), by representatives of the social territorial areas, by a representation of retired and non-retired school managers. “The objective of the bill – continues Princi – is to define the integrated system to achieve continuity of the educational path from zero to six years, through the strengthening of nursery, micro nursery, spring sections and supplementary services for children. We therefore want to consolidate and expand the offer of the number of places, making them free for the less well-off, for the progressive achievement of coverage of 33% of the population in the zero-three year age group, so as to reduce the existing gap with the other regions, through the redefinition of structural and organizational requirements. It is also envisaged to improve the quality of the system through the ongoing training of all staff in service”.
“The issue of the zero-six education system – finally adds the Vice President with responsibility for Education – was immediately paid attention to by this regional government. Therefore, this new bill also aims to create system governance between Regions, Municipalities and the Regional School Office, with inter-institutional coordination and collaboration actions, in continuity with the path already started with the Memorandums of Understanding signed between the Region, Usr and Anci. I want to thank those who contributed to the achievement of this important and necessary goal for their precious support, namely: the general manager of the Education Department, Maria Francesca Gatto, the sector manager, Anna Perani, the entire working group made up of Fism professionals , by some retired school directors, by the regional school office directed by Antonella Iunti, and by the Anci”. The technical table is already operational for the drafting of the specific regulation which will govern the contents and implementation paths of the law, as provided for in art. 16, and which will be approved by the regional council.
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