Mattarella: "Schools must bring people together. They are the most effective means of integration"

“School is the most effective means of integration for those coming from other countries and for young people born in Italy who are the children of emigrants.” This was stated by the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, speaking in Amatrice at the ceremony to mark the start of the school year at the “Sergio Marchionne” Comprehensive School, on the tenth anniversary of the earthquake that destroyed the town in Lazio. “School prepares everyone; ‘it is open to all’: as laid down in Article 34 of the Constitution”, recalled the Head of State, who believes its purpose is “to forge bonds, to win the trust of families, to help prevent the formation of ghettos and the erection of barriers, to make our communities safer, to unite rather than divide, and to overcome the walls of mistrust and lack of communication. Schools are called upon to foster social cohesion.” The President’s words are an indirect response to the proposal made the previous day by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at Fenix Park, during the Fratelli d’Italia Youth Festival, namely to announce a decree-law at the next Council of Ministers meeting, which would set by law a maximum limit on the number of foreign pupils in classes, equal to 30 per cent of the total. “Rather than a code of conduct, schools must help to foster a shared sense of ethics. Teachers must not, therefore, be left to their own devices by society, and institutions must not shirk their responsibilities in difficult circumstances. With a renewed commitment to tackling early school leaving,” said Mattarella.

“Schools must be ‘places where no one feels excluded’,” said Cardinal Matteo Zuppi as he opened the proceedings of the Permanent Council of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, which he chairs. “We cannot accept that a child’s place of birth, economic or physical circumstances, or social background should determine their learning opportunities. A truly inclusive school is one of the most powerful tools for justice and peace.”

Mattarella also took the opportunity to remind us that “in schools, coexistence and respect must prevail, with violence banished. Violence takes many forms: explicit bullying, and groups and gangs forming outside the classrooms. Violence against teachers: the latest serious incident, which occurred just a few days ago, adds to those that have already taken place and have not been forgotten. Sometimes perpetrated by pupils, but more frequently by parents, who are far more culpable in this betrayal of their educational duty; shirking their fundamental partnership with teachers". Still on the subject of teachers, the Head of State emphasised their importance, saying that "a machine can never take the place of a teacher, however intelligent that machine may be. When a pupil raises their hand, the teacher can tell whether they are doing so to waste time or to better understand a concept, or whether they are asking a question; the teacher can tell if the pupil is unprepared or is trying to express a concept more clearly – a machine would struggle to do that. You yourselves have guided a machine, not the other way round".

Returning to the subject of artificial intelligence, the President emphasised that the role of schools is to “educate young people so that they are keen to harness the potential of their mobile phones to think for themselves, freely, rather than surrendering to someone else thinking for them; to seek out new horizons rather than resigning themselves to whatever the algorithm decides to offer us”. “In the digital world,” he emphasised, “artificial intelligence and social media are powerful drivers offering opportunities that were unimaginable until yesterday. Progress must not be hindered, feared or passively followed. It must be guided and continually monitored to ensure that the dignity of the person remains paramount. This is why it is essential that the younger generations – who are best equipped to use these new tools – grow up by balancing knowledge with humanity, and technological skills with solidarity.”

Mattarella then appealed to the young people: “Pupils are not merely users of the school system. Society needs their voice. Young people, take an even more active role in school life. Knowledge and study are important for life. Not abstract knowledge, or knowledge that is merely abstract. But knowledge that goes hand in hand with friendship, care for those around us, and responsibility towards others. This is the path to freedom. Our freedom is genuine only if freedom exists for everyone.” He went on to say that history was his favourite subject and that he shares with Alberto Angela not only a love of history but “also terrible handwriting”. “Look to the future with confidence; my generation has witnessed unimaginable transformations. Never look to the past. Best wishes,” concluded the Head of State.