Giuseppe Valditara announces new high school curricula in Italy

Italian Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara presented the draft national guidelines for licei that will take effect in 2027. The program expands reading requirements, mandating at least six paper books in the first two years and reinstating works such as Omero’s *Odissea*, Dante’s *Divina Commedia*, Manzoni’s *I Promessi Sposi*, selected Biblical passages, the Constitution and even Marx.

A new focus on artificial intelligence will see AI taught as a subject and used as a tool to strengthen STEM learning. Mathematics is set to shift from a theory‑first approach to one beginning with observation of real‑world problems, exemplified by a lake‑based problem for the 2026 graduation exam.

The reforms, aimed at reinforcing a sense of Western cultural identity while modernising instruction, still require approval from the Superior Council of Public Education before becoming mandatory.