Berlusconi and the case of the falling budget

[Nardini]

With the current problems regarding education raging throughout Italy, it is interesting to have a look at the situation. The situation not always fully reported in the press, that is.

Keeping to English language sources for the sake of readers here, it would seem that the common view is that the strikes and demonstrations now being seen across Italy are simply left-wing trouble-makers trying to bring Italy into disrepute, as in this article from the International Herald Tribune:

Originally Posted by IHT

Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi says he won't budge on controversial school reforms, after students taking part in nationwide demonstrations clashed with police.

The conservative government's planned reforms include flunking students for poor conduct. Elementary school pupils would have the same teacher for all five years and be forced to wear uniform smocks.

The plan also envisions budget cuts at state universities. Many students have been skipping class for weeks to protest the plan, and in some cases have occupied schools.

Berlusconi told reporters in Rome on Wednesday that he will order police to impede any occupation of school buildings.

On Tuesday, Milan police used clubs against protesters who tried to push toward them.

It is also interesting to see that the article I quote above mentions "poor conduct", school uniforms and a more consistent teaching environment first and foremost. It continues with mention of the funding cuts to the universities almost by way of an afterthought.

Now, as many of you will know, Italy has had problems with university funding, as well as teacher employment for many, many years. However, the situation where Italian universities are now being starved of funds to help pave the way for more privatisation is something that should concern everyone involved with the Italian education system.

The OECD recently reported that Italian schools have one of the highest numbers of teachers on the pay roll than most other developed countries - but with amongst the lowest levels of pay anywhere. Of course, the actual number of teachers on any particular school's payroll need not reflect a high number of teachers per pupil in the classroom. Quite the opposite, in fact, as a great many teachers only go to school to actually teach on one or two days a week. Nevertheless, they are on the state payroll and will, in due course, become eligible for a full state pension as well.

Meanwhile, the actual reason for the teachers to be on the payroll in the first place - the children - continue to show a very poor set of results considering the actual expenditure by the state for their education. The OECD report shows that Italy spends $6,835 per child in primary education, whilst the OECD average expenditure is $6,252 per child.

The situation once the child has gone on to university is also pretty dire, with a high drop out rate and a low number of students that actually achieve their qualification, Italian universities are now relegated to the bottom of the rankings , with Bologna rated 192 in a world league table of the 200 best universities around the world. Bologna is, in fact, the only university to even find a place on that table, so it is a problem, indeed.

With that in mind, the idea that funding for the public universities is going to be restricted even more than it has been is pretty strange fayre - until one considers the private market.

The rettore of my local university, Prof. Angiolino Stella, said yesterday that he found it incomprehensible to understand how funding for such established and world-renowned universities such as Pavia, Bologna, etc. could be withheld in favour of a university such as the Università dell'Insubria. Now, the University of Insubria is based in Varese - right in the heartlands of "Bossi country" and has a wonderful web site as well as 20 professors. However, it only boasts 14 actual students - although it does a great trade in conferences, I'm told.

So, here is a dichotomy. There is, certainly, money around to fund a system of education such as Italy has enjoyed in the past - the not too distant past, in fact. It seems that there is both a political pressure to employ, if only part-time, many people that otherwise might not find employment, but are "in fiducia". There is also a financial pressure to ensure that as much as possible of those funds find their way into certain peoples Swiss bank accounts.

The answer, at least as far as the current government seems to be interested in presenting, is to stop all demonstrations as quickly as possible. As Paolo Bonaiuti, Berlusconi's spokesman, said "He has the support of the public,". Bonaiuti added "What's the problem?".

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I am adding a footnote to help you understand what the word "insubria" actually means. The insubrese were a celtic tribe that lived in the north western parts of Lombardy the north east of Piemonte and even the Ticino canton of Switzerland, some few hundred years before the Romans conquered the region. They are held responsible for the founding of Milano, in fact. There is also a movement for the independence of "Insubria", known as the "Movimento degli Indipendenti Insubrici".

[bosco]

A couple more English-language sources on the education reforms: Reforming Italy's schools | Schools out | The Economist and John Hooper on controversial Italian educational reforms | Education | The Guardian.

Anyway, this stuff is all a bit trivial and boring. Not a really key issue like getting a few fireflies off the street (and therefore helping newspapers sell more small ads for AAAAAAAaccompagnatrici).

[Charles Phillips]

How can you say nasty things about Grand Uncle Silvio when you read this?

"Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and business partner Ennio Doris plan to personally reimburse Mediolanum SpA's clients for losses related to bankrupt Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc."

(from) Bloomberg.com: Italy

[bosco]

Originally Posted by Charles Phillips

How can you say nasty things about Grand Uncle Silvio when you read this?

Who's been saying nasty things? Not me - I intensely admire political leaders who conduct their affairs in a self-effacing and modest manner, which must surely be the case for someone who is embarrassed by his own popularity (FT.com / World - Berlusconi basks as ratings soar).

And who cannot fail to admire the chutzpah of someone achieves popularity as the new saviour by performing miracles with gestures costing not much more than a few loaves and fishes, while allowing others to prepare the forthcoming sacrifices in such boring areas as education and health?

[Charles Phillips]

You are absolutely right bosco...fundamentally. But the world is running on empty just now, and who knows if 'chutzpah' isn't exactly the right way to face off speculators?

You might not like it, I know I don't like it, but even though we no doubt both know it ain't going to work, Silvio's positioning at least allows us a bit of levity!

[bosco]

Originally Posted by Charles Phillips

Silvio's positioning at least allows us a bit of levity!

YouTube - Intercettazione Berlusconi - Carfagna

[adriatica]

as far as the original posting goes i would say there is quite a bit of truth in the view that Veltroni is stirring things up because his political credentials were on the line for the 25Th of this month as regards a call to all loyal Italians to get into the squares and protest against the new government... before the university / school debate became a headline event he had had very little response and it looked like he might be talking to himself and a few other politicos in the square... obviously now the squares will be full... more down to Berlusconi saying he will not allow students to take over public buildings and occupy them than anything Walter has said... somehow there seems to be planning behind berlusconi's statement... and it seems to me there might be a bit of violence on this day of square stomping... hot head students and firm to intolerant policing generally produces this sort of thing... which will contrast nicely with the well behaved mass demonstrations organised by the right during Prodis last stint...

it seems to me Veltroni is being led to a further fall... i guess we shall see

as regards University education here to get a good grip of what really goes on i think this might provide for those that want an in depth look at Italian higher education a pretty damming view of the whole system

JUST Response: "Free democratic response to world injustices"

its not a pro berlo site... and contains many articles regarding the Italian University system...including the employment of whole families in various departments as if specialty teaching is an inherited biological right... rigged concorsi... virtually for all jobs... and a system of mass mediocrity... with absolutely no regard for merit...

one of the problems for Italy is that somehow despite the system it produces some of the best research people and original thinkers in the world who then have to leave Italy to carry on their research or studies because they cannot win a paid post because they do not have the right connections...

this system of closed shop employment between friends and families is endemic in the public sector... so to my mind if the universities head towards more private funding there is a chance...slim i know that finally the great leveller... making money and profit will mean that those Italians with brains will be able to get jobs here and get paid at a level that reflects their importance....

[Nardini]

Originally Posted by adriatica

as far as the original posting goes i would say there is quite a bit of truth in the view that Veltroni is stirring things up .....

It seems a shame to try to conflate ones political wishes with a failed education system whose roots encompass every political party that has held power in Italy since the founding of the republic. It is the tactic of the politician, which we know will not solve the problems you go on to outline as:

Originally Posted by adriatica

... employment of whole families in various departments as if specialty teaching is an inherited biological right....

Private funding of universities invariably leads to political, religious or commercial bias in education though, as seen in the USA commonly.

Originally Posted by adriatica

.... so to my mind if the universities head towards more private funding there is a chance...slim i know that finally the great leveller... making money and profit will mean that those Italians with brains will be able to get jobs here and get paid at a level that reflects their importance....

Similarly, the idea that, somehow, funding strange and untested educational establishments, such as the University of Insubria that I quoted in my first post, to the detriment of the oldest universities in the world is just political hubris - to say nothing of the usual "feed the friends" mentality of those in political power.

Restricting the funding to the established - often left-wing politically - universities will not improve the system of education by "levelling" the playing field at all - how can it? The only thing that the 14 students in the University of Insubria will learn is how special and elite they are. Hardly education for the Italy of the future. Although, it certainly has rings of the past attached to it ... say, the 1930s...

[Noble]

Adriatica is spot on...QUOTE one of the problems for Italy is that somehow despite the system it produces some of the best research people and original thinkers in the world who then have to leave Italy to carry on their research or studies because they cannot win a paid post because they do not have the right connections...

THERE IS NOW NO MONEY BEING GIVEN TO RESEARCH IN ITALIAN UNIVERSITIES BY THE STATE, therefore the researchers are leaving Italy for countries where they can continue their work.

[Nardini]

Originally Posted by Noble

THERE IS NOW NO MONEY BEING GIVEN TO RESEARCH IN ITALIAN UNIVERSITIES BY THE STATE, therefore the researchers are leaving Italy for countries where they can continue their work.

Indeed, Noble. This is not a new problem though, nor one ascribable to either Veltroni nor Prodi. By way of illustration I would use the person from whom I bought the house we now live in. He was, at the time, a research graduate in a Milan university. His pay was pretty dreadful at the time and then his funding was withdrawn completely as a cost saving exercise. This was in 2005, by the way. he now has a teaching post south of Napoli, where he is happy to be taking 5 classes a week, earning half as much again as he did in Milano as a researcher. I won't give many details of him, obviously, but he has had research published in several languages and has lectured in (amongst other places) China on his speciality - so not an ignorant man, nor a communist either!