Why are Italy’s schools falling behind?

There is one theme that is repeated in every single survey of schools, and that is Italy’s deficit in the education of its human capital, from the perspective both of quality (learning levels, competencies required by the world of industry) and equity (differences based on the social and cultural origins of families). The gap begins to form in lower-secondary schools and is amplified at higher-secondary level and at university. The economic and social cost is enormous and calls for urgent measures for the recruitment and education of teachers, the organization of schools, assessments and the definition of the subjects to be taught.