Italy: Student protests escalate

The mass movement is protesting the passage of Law 133, the so-called Gelmini reform (after Education Minister Mariastella Gelmini). The decree will lead to at least 87,000 teaching jobs and 44,500 administrative posts being lost at state schools over the next three academic years to 2012. Many smaller schools are to be closed as part of €8 billion in cuts. Universities also face the threat of privatisation.

In primary schools the number of school teachers per class will be reduced from two to one. The school working week is also being reduced from 40 to 24 hours.

The government’s reform of the public university system has yet to be finalised but guidelines outlining further attacks were presented by Gelmini on November 6. These include a reduction in teaching hours, a rationalisation of the number of degree courses offered and plans to distribute 30 percent of public funding on a performance-related basis.

Article 66 calls for the rationalisation of staff at universities. Only one in five vacancies amongst lecturers will be filled in the next few years. Authorisation is established to allow Italy’s universities to set up foundations, which will be able to benefit from private funding as a precursor to privatisation.

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