Latin returns to middle school . But not only that: poems by heart, more art and music, the separation of history and geography and the introduction of several new educational texts, including the Bible and the Percy Jackson saga .

These are the new measures that the Minister of Education, Giuseppe Valditara, is thinking of to improve the linguistic skills of students . According to a recent OECD survey, 35% of Italian adults (between 16 and 65 years old) cannot understand simple sentences. And so here are the new measures, presented yesterday to the Council of Ministers in the form of a decree.

The teaching of Latin – one hour a week starting from the second year of middle school – will actually be optional , and therefore available to those who want to study the language in greater depth, but not mandatory.

Among the most substantial changes is the farewell to Geohistory, the mix of History and Geography planned for high schools with the two subjects now expected to resume separate tracks.

Among the suggested authors are also Verne and Stevenson , but Stephen King is added to help children find a more sincere relationship with reading . So that "they learn to appreciate written texts and talk about them with competence and if possible with pleasure".

"Let's say that we take the best of our tradition for a school capable of building the future - Minister Valditara commented in an interview with Il Giornale in which he anticipated the new measures -. Our goal is a serious school, forward-looking and attentive to the critical education of our children. The revision of the national guidelines looks to them ", specifying that the revision work was carried out together with the commission which includes the president emeritus of the Accademia della Crusca Claudio Marazzini, writers such as Claudio Giunta, and musicians such as Uto Ughi and exponents of the artistic world.