With report cards that just touch the sufficiency and families called to cope with increasing increases for books and school materials, the portrait of the Italian school is not encouraging.
The FRAGILITALIA report The Italian school systemedited by the Legacoop and Ipsos Study Area on a sample of 800 citizens, assigns the system an average vote of 6.4: a small improvement compared to 2024, but still too close to the limit.
A judgment that is intertwined with the economic weight of the return between the desks (over 650 euros of average spending per student), and with the widespread feeling that the school cannot keep up with the skills required by work and today’s company.
Schools: universities on their heads, middle school
Looking at the different school orders, the golden palm goes to the university with a 6.8, followed by childhood (6.6) and by nests and primary (6.5). High schools and higher institutes remain behind with a 6.1, while the middle school arrange on the bottom with a low 6. Here the criticisms are more harsh among the less wealthy families: almost half gives insufficiency to middle schools and over four out of ten reject high school.
The problems reported by citizens do not change much compared to last year, indeed in several cases they worsen. The main critical issues concern:
- programs judged old and too theoretical (49%, +5 points);
- little motivation of teachers (45%);
- school buildings often in bad conditions (44%);
- Personnel deficiency (36%);
- inadequate technological equipment (36%);
- Preparation of teachers deemed insufficient (34%, down).
A list that photographs the distance between the needs of families well and what the school manages to guarantee today.
Skills little in line with work
Less Italian have the feeling that the school really manages to prepare children at work. Languages convince only 45% of the interviewees (down three points), even if among the under 30s the trust rises to 59%. The most cited obstacles are:
- too old programs;
- dispersive contents;
- Training of teachers deemed fragile.
Even more severe opinions on digital skills:
- 42% denounces the absence of well -equipped workshops;
- 33% signal programs left behind.
On the green front the judgment is very hard, only 26% think that the school offers adequate tools.
How much does it cost to return to the desks
To the overall evaluation of the system is added a very concrete aspect: the increases that weigh on families every September. According to the latest Federconsumatori Observatory, the average expenditure is 658.20 euros per student, +1.7% compared to 2024.
Backpacks, cases and stationery enter the account, with important differences between branded articles and cheaper alternatives. Those who buy online can save up to 21% compared to traditional postcolibrerie and about 3% compared to large retailers.
Textbooks and cycle changes
Among the school expenses of the return to school, the manuals continue to weigh more. On average between texts and dictionaries there are about 537 euros, a -9.2% compared to 2024. The trend, however, is not uniform: in high school it is spent a little less, while the averages grow. The most difficult moments are cycle changes:
- For those who enter middle school, books and equipment exceed 1,200 euros;
- For those who start high school, the account rises over 1,460 euros.
An expense that particularly marks families in the key passages of the school path.
In addition to books and chancellery, families must also take into account the expenditure for technology. On average, about 420 euros are needed to equip yourself with indispensable tools such as PCs, webcams and microphones. An expense that is now considered obliged. Prices have not grown, but those who choose reconditioned products can save over 38%.
