Italian high school students begin 2026 Maturity exams with first Italian test

On Thursday 18 June 2026 the first written Italian exam of the national Maturity (high‑school) assessment opened across Italy. More than half a million pupils received the exam packet, marking the start of a six‑hour test that evaluates language mastery, analytical and expressive skills.

In the province of Piacenza, 2,299 students – 2,096 from public schools, 130 from private institutions and 73 external candidates – sat the exam, with a majority enrolled in licei (1,159), technical institutes (787) and professional schools (353). The regional education office activated 56 local examination commissions, part of a total of 915 commissions nationwide.

The Ministry of Education supplied seven essay prompts, ranging from literary analysis of Cesare Pavese’s “Passerò per Piazza di Spagna” and Vitaliano Brancati’s “I piaceri,” to argumentative pieces on historical speeches and contemporary topics. The selection sparked debate on social media, particularly over the inclusion of Pavese, who has rarely appeared in recent exams.