In Italy "the law is inclusive" regarding education for foreign minors but "data is lacking on integration into the school system." More monitoring, teacher training and support for schools are needed, according to the report "The Journey of Hope" by Education International (EI) on the integration of foreign refugee minors in Italian schools.
The report presented in Rome is part of a series of studies carried out in Italy, Spain, Germany, Poland and Sweden. It involved interviews with school staff, local communities and local authorities in Campania, Lazio, Lombardy, Piedmont and Sicily. These regions have the highest number of unaccompanied foreign minors. The study is qualitative "because in Italy aggregate figures on the integration of foreign minors into the school system do not exist", report author Sonia Grigt explained.
The results show firstly that "the Italian reception system creates problems of integration: the time spent in first-level facilities is longer than expected and integration is delayed," she added. In addition, "the concentration of minors in certain areas delays administrative procedures for obtaining documents," Grigt added. It also highlights "the dangerous situation of untraceable minors," a phenomenon that the author said depends not only "on their migration project" but also on "the poor quality of the reception facilities and lack of prospects." This requires a "European response".
"The integration of foreign minors into the school system needs to be monitored: today the information is missing, making it very complicated to promote active policies," Grigt said. Italian laws are "much more inclusive than in other European countries, allowing the youngsters to begin attending school immediately, but schools need greater support."Lastly, "investment is needed to train school staff, enabling them to take targeted action. There are not enough Italian teachers, mediators, psychologists, yet schools have a structural need for them," Grigt said.
To meet this need, trade union UIL Scuola and the institute IRASE have recently run training activities in Sicily for school staff and workshops in Italian, drama and cookery for the youngsters."We are proud to have this sense of welcome," said Pino Turi, general secretary of UIL Scuola. "Schools can bring about true integration."