The Municipality did not participate in the second tender prepared by the Ministry for services relating to early childhood services. Fabio Ligonzo (CISL FP) reiterates this following the note fromcouncilor Petrosillo with which the information according to which the funds would have been lost was defined as “misleading”: in reality, the CISL FP specifies that the Municipality of Taranto did not in fact participate in the tender of 30 April last and it is not clear why” .
«A community like the one in Taranto – he states Fabio Ligonzocompany secretary for the municipality of Taranto of the CISL Fp Funzioni Locali – needs concrete answers also and above all in the field of training of the early childhood. There CISL FP is currently engaged on two fronts, that of the re-evaluation of educational personnel and that of finding externally financed resources to increase and improve the services offered”.
Ligonzo «had underlined, a month ago, the importance of accessing financing equal to 5,184,000 million of euros made available by the new one PNRR announcement published last April 30th, and the activation of further ones 216 places in nursery schools in our area”.
«The aim – explains the union secretary in a letter to the mayor Rinaldo Melucci – was to reach the European target of 33% for early childhood services (Taranto is at 16.1%), filling the gap that exists today both for the 0-3 and 3-6 year age groups, recognizing to girls and boys right to education from birth and guaranteeing a unitary educational path suited to the characteristics and training needs of that age group, too thanks to innovative learning spaces and environments. There lack of adequate facilities for children represents a significant obstacle for many women, especially those who wish to maintain or re-enter the workforce after motherhood. The data speaks clearly: one in five women in Italy is out of the job market.”
«The expansion of nursery schools – as hoped by Ligonzo – would have offered concrete support to these women, allowing them to more easily reconcile work and family needs. This, in turn, would have had a positive impact on the economy, increasing the female workforce and promoting women’s professional growth.
Regarding these issues, the union questions itself on a daily basis, trying to provide concrete solutions without triggering controversy. However, the Ministry of Education and Merit had planned for Taranto, the first city in Puglia, the provision of large sums of money which we absolutely should not have missed. For CISL FP, this opportunity represents a fundamental strategic choice for the territory. As always, discussion was lackingto which the union places extreme attention and priority.”
