The case of three children living in the Palmoli forest, Chieti province, has raised issuesparental education. Nathan And Catherinethe parents of the removed minors had actually selected their childrenschool at homehas a good reputation from an academic point of view.
The Ministry of Education and Honor confirmed this, clarifying that the family had “Compulsory schooling has been completed regularly through home education authorized by the Constitution and applicable laws and through the support of authorized schools“. But what exactly is parental education and what obligations does it contain?
What is homeschooling
Homeschooling is a system educate where parents decide to educate their children At homeas an alternative to traditional schools. This is completely legal in Italy, as long as the teaching provided respects the general aims of the national school system. Families can organize learning at autonomyusing textbooks, teaching materials, private teachers or online platforms. However, freedom of organization is not exempt from the controls required by law.
Obligation
Those who choose parental education must show it to the principal of the nearest school every year statement on their technical or economic ability to finance their children’s education. Managers have the task of verifying the validity of what has been announced and monitoring its fulfillmentcompulsory schooltogether with the mayor of the municipality of residence.
Homeschooled children must also take exams annual eligibilityfrom private students, in public or private schools. This exam validates graduation to the next class and continues until compulsory schooling is completed.
In the judicial case relating to the Palmoli family, the L’Aquila Juvenile Court observed that it was the parents who filed the lawsuit. certificate of conformity to the third grade for the eldest daughter, issued by Novalis Open School Brescia, but they have not submitted the annual declaration to the principal of the territorially competent school.
Homeschooling and parent school: the differences
In Italy these two terms are often confused, but indicate different realities:
Homeschooling (individual parent education). The family organizes the child’s entire educational path independently, without participating in structures organized with other families.
Parental schooling (or co-parental education)
It is a collective project organized by several families who come together to guarantee a common educational path. This often involves the presence of a qualified teacher, educator or tutor.
In both cases, it remains must annual suitability exam.
How many children are homeschooled in Italy
In contrast to countries such as the United States or England, homeschooling is still a phenomenon in Italy marginal.
However, in recent years, there has been a significant increase, especially after the pandemic.
According to data from the Ministry of Education and Honors, in the last year there were around 16,000 students attending parent education, out of a total of around 7 million students: around 0.2%.
