Ppoems by heart, handwriting, Latin: it is not a scene from a film from times gone by, but will instead be the “new” face of the Italian school which, starting from the 2026-2027 school year, will change its skin. The Ministry of Education and Merit has, in fact, approved a reform of the teaching programs of the first school cycle which aims to reconcile tradition and innovation.
School reform: are we going back?
The objective declared by the minister Giuseppe Valditara is to recover what shapes mind and cultureintegrating it with tools of the present and future. From calligraphy to coding, from Latin to global geography, school must no longer be just a place for transmitting knowledge, but a laboratory where creativity and practical skills coexist. But let’s go in order.
Between calligraphy and syntax, the word returns to the center
In primary schools, the reform restores centrality to the spoken and written word. This is the reason for the return of cursive writingwhich «structures thought with logic»; of return of the summarywhich teaches you to isolate the essential, organize ideas and communicate clearly; of recovery of poetry learned by heartnot as an exercise in itself, but as a training of the brain, language and sensitivity that prepares the student to read, write and understand in a more profound way.
From Latin in seventh grade to coding in first grade, from memorizing poems to spatial geography, Italian schools are preparing to change their skin (Getty)
Latin from seventh grade: a tool for understanding Italian
Also regarding the introduction of Latinstarting from the seventh grade, it is a linguistic strategy, not a nostalgia for the ancient. The study of the language of Cicero and Virgil, optional but strongly encouragedwill serve to strengthen knowledge of the Italian language and its rules. Whoever chooses Latin, therefore, will not only face declensions and conjugations, but will deal with the history of language And with the roots of European culture.
STEM and IT: the future enters primary school
It’s not just the past that enters the classroom, though: the reform, in fact, turbocharges STEM subjectswith compulsory IT starting from primary school. It is about integrating scientific, technological and mathematical knowledge with civic education and sustainability.
English and language immersion: learning without fear
Also English becomes a living and everyday subject: we will focus on recreational activities, games and practical immersions, to transform learning into concrete experience. According to the Ministry, linguistic literacy must no longer be limited to knowing grammatical rules, but must develop real communication skillslistening and interaction in authentic contexts.
History, geography and spatial thinking
The history program, in the intentions of the ministry, it will strengthen the link with Italy and Europewithout forgetting the global perspective, while geography will aim to develop “spatial thinking”: understanding the layout of the world not only in books, but through maps, globes and satellite images.
Music since childhood
Musical education will extend to nursery schoolwith vocal, choral and instrumental practice, active listening and interaction with musicians. No longer, therefore, just notes on a staff, but shared experience, memory development, ability to collaborate: music becomes a laboratory of relationship, emotion and discipline, opening the doors to artistic sensitivity from the early years.
School reform, between enthusiasm and critical issues: the limits of the reform
Despite the lofty ambitions, the reform is not without gray areas. Several teachers, parents and most critical unions, they don’t look at these new things with too much enthusiasm. Especially towards some: such as, for example, the introduction of Latin as an optional subject which, as they argue, risks creating disparities between students and schools. Likewise, the emphasis on memory and cultural traditionappears to be a step backwards for those aiming for more innovative and participatory methods. Not to mention the fear that some educational choices reinforce more conservative cultural visions at the expense of inclusive and critical approaches. The reform, however, was approved. At this point, to understand if the result will be the one imagined by the ministry, we will have to wait to see it applied.