Minister Valditara Visits Galilei-Luxemburg Institute, Proposes Research Integration
Milan, March 17 – Italian Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara visited the Galilei-Luxemburg institute in Milan yesterday, advocating for the integration of research activities into the curricula of technical and professional schools. Addressing a diverse student body of 1,300, with 40% foreign students and 15% with disabilities, Valditara emphasized the importance of moving beyond traditional teaching methods.
A New Vision for Technical Education
During his visit to the school, located in the outskirts of Milan and offering ten different specializations, Minister Valditara presented his vision. “With the reform we have initiated, I believe it is important that these schools (technical and professional institutes) also begin to conduct research, because teaching is fundamental and strategic, but it always involves transmission and absorption. In research, however, you are involved, with your talents, curiosity, and critical spirit. There is a need for schools that can combine teaching and research and a fruitful dialogue with the business world,” Valditara stated to the students in the assembly hall.
He further praised these educational paths, asserting, “We must make society understand that a technical or professional education path has the same dignity as a high school one. Your skills will be worth a lot, your talents are extraordinary.”
Inclusion and Language Support for International Students
Given the unique demographic of the Galilei-Luxemburg institute, discussions also focused on integration and Italian language instruction for foreign and newly arrived students. “With Agenda Nord, we have invested 150,000 euros here for the training of Italian teachers for newly arrived students who do not know our language, but we must go further; the involvement of families in the school process must be encouraged, because without adequate support at home, the young person risks losing what they have learned at school,” the Minister concluded.
Challenges and Commitments: From Laboratory Materials to Teacher Recruitment
Prior to his visit to the institute, Valditara met with student, teacher, and family representatives. Lorenzo Marrale and Alessandro Bosisio, two student representatives, highlighted critical issues. “We emphasized the importance of schools having materials for laboratories: in mechanical workshops, we sometimes experience delays or shortages in the supply of raw materials like aluminum, iron, or brass, making it impossible to practice what the teacher has explained; the transmission of knowledge is wasted,” they reported.
Another significant concern raised was teacher recruitment, particularly the issue of precarious employment and the lack of permanent teachers. “It’s not possible to reach the fifth year with teachers who, after a couple of months, just as a rapport has been established with the class, are replaced not by their own will, but because that’s how it works. Paradoxically, sometimes you have the materials and machinery but not the trained teachers,” the students added. They noted that the Minister was receptive and open to their concerns, and they now “await interventions.”
School Leadership’s Perspective: Strengths and Ongoing Issues
The school’s principal, Annamaria Borando, acknowledged the complexities of the territory the school serves, but also highlighted the passion and commitment of the staff. “We have shown our strengths, but also the critical issues in a calm and constructive perspective, because the objective is common,” Borando stated. She also mentioned her subsequent trip to the European Parliament with school representatives, following Valditara’s visit.
Enrollment this year has seen an increase, particularly in professional courses, both three-year and five-year programs. Optics, a niche course, has formed a class of 20 students. “We have many students at university and have started a collaboration with Bicocca University aimed precisely at post-diploma orientation for fourth and fifth-year students. As for newly arrived students in Italy, we organize Italian courses in the afternoon,” Borando explained.
However, the principal did not shy away from discussing ongoing challenges: “After national calls, we still haven’t been able to fill all positions: for example, we still lack an IT teacher. Precarious employment also remains an issue. We now have a good number of permanent teachers, but we have 250 teachers, almost a hundred of whom are support teachers, and still many substitutes.”
The Minister’s visit underscores a broader national effort to elevate technical and professional education, aiming to equip students with both practical skills and a research-oriented mindset for future challenges in the job market.
Source: https://milano.corriere.it/notizie/cronaca/26_marzo_17/milano-il-ministro-valditara-in-visita-al-galilei-luxemburg-nei-tecnici-e-i-professionali-si-cominci-a-fare-ricerca-7fff721b-8350-40b6-b28f-f695a1ddexlk.shtml
