Students who receive a 6 in conduct will be required to take the citizenship exam to gain access to the next grade. With the final approval of the regulations by the Council of Ministers , the reform of conduct grading for secondary school students, that is, middle and high school, officially begins.
"This is a strong and clear signal: in Italian schools, respect for individuals and institutions is essential," said Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara. " With this reform, conduct grading once again becomes an important educational tool for raising responsible and informed citizens. We want a school that is authoritative, not authoritarian, where merit, respect, and the centrality of the individual are fundamental."
The new measures, which will be effective starting in the next school year, starting in September, aim to restore the centrality of the conduct grade, which will once again have an educational, rather than merely disciplinary, value: an indicator of respect for rules and others, and of commitment to the school community, as the Ministry itself emphasizes. Student behavior will be evaluated throughout the school year and will take into account, in particular, any incidents of violence or aggression against school staff and other students.
To be admitted to the next grade, students must have a grade of at least seven tenths. Those with a grade of six will have to write a paper on active citizenship issues, relating to the reasons behind their grade. Furthermore, the scope of sanctions against students has been completely revised. Suspensions from classes will now be given over to in-depth study on the consequences of their behavior or participation in citizenship solidarity activities with organizations or associations designated by the schools.
"No longer solely punitive instruments," the ministry explains, "but, on the contrary, an opportunity for educational growth." The law on conduct reform, approved by Parliament last September, also provided for automatic failure with a 5. Furthermore,
