On the website of the Ministry of Education and Merit, the subjects for the new Maturità exam, which starts on 18 June, have finally been published.

Minister Valditara’s reform has caused teachers and students, who have so far been confused and critical, to discuss the substantial change from previous years.

The text of the reform

In addition to changing the name of the new exam, which is no longer State but Maturità, the minister has decided to completely revise last year’s proceedings, leading to a new way of approaching the oral interview.

The last state exam featured all the curriculum subjects, which the candidate had to be able to connect from an image or document; from the Maturità 2026, however, the interview will take place on four subjects, different for each address, chosen by the Ministry.

As stated in the official communiqué, the minister decided to eliminate the discussion on the multidisciplinary document because it brings forced connections and unpredictability.

The four subjects, on the other hand, will allow the student to demonstrate the degree of knowledge and skills achieved, as well as the level of autonomy and responsibility attained.

Beware of those who deliberately ‘play dumb’ in the oralexamination: from this year, theexamination will only be valid if the student regularly takes all the tests; those who deliberately remain silent will fail.

The fateful subjects of the second test

The subject of the second test will be: Latin at the Liceo Classico; mathematics at the Liceo Scientifico; humanities at the Liceo Scientifico; First Language and Foreign Culture at the Liceo Linguistico.

Among the Technical Institutes, for Tourism the second test will be Tourism Business Disciplines, and for Administration and Marketing Business Economics.

The students’ reactions were contrasting, especially considering the subjects of the oral exam. While the Minister spoke of disciplines “characterising the Institutes”, one wonders why certain choices were made, such as Mathematics at the Classics oral exam, Natural Sciences at the Linguistic and Physics at the Artistic.

Further backward step?

In the months leading up to the announcement of the final details, there was no shortage of controversy and discussion, both from professors – still not fully informed of how the exam would be conducted – and from students, frightened by the new arrangements.

Last years’ exam discussion seemed to be a logical procedure to test the students’ ability to connect the notions they had acquired over the years.

Many had complained about the disparity between the cues proposed, which contributed to making the examination test less than objective and based on luck; in this way, however, the interview represented a dialogue between the Commission and the student, who was asked questions based on his or her presentation.

As of this year, as far as we have heard so far, there will be a return to the classic disciplinary and notional questioning, similar in the way it is conducted to those faced during school years. Less apprehension for the students, but too much ‘old-fashioned’ conduct.

There are also strong doubts about the future of non-exam subjects: the risk is that these will be sidelined, with teachers and students preferring to devote themselves to Matura subjects.

Examinations in the rest of Europe

The presence of the exam itself at the end of the study cycle highlights a further topic for debate.

In Italy, besides being compulsory, it weighs significantly on the final hundredths evaluation (60%). The modus operandi of other European countries is very different.

As a survey by theOECD – in Italian OECD, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development – attests, other ways of certifying students’ diplomas are widespread in Europe.

In the UK, although the education system is selective, students obtain different qualifications according to the type of studies: there is no single exam like in Italy and pupils are assessed in several modules, without a single final exam.

Spain and Greece have compulsory national examinations but only for the purpose ofuniversity entrance; for the diploma, assessments during the school years and internal tests of the institutions are sufficient.

Also in Sweden, there is no compulsory national final examination, as the diploma is awarded through tests administered by teachers throughout the course.

France, Poland, Slovakia, the Netherlands and Portugal, on the other hand, present models more similar to the Italian one.

Need a radical change?

Thinking of the Spanish and Greek models, theexamination in Italy could also have a different significance.

On the one hand, there are the technical and vocational institutes: their disciplines, which are certainly closer to the world of work than the Licei, could be the subject of small examinations over the years. In this way, the student would face various small hurdles to be certain of having acquired sufficient skills for the university or working world, with the diploma then being awarded taking into account the whole pathway.

Even in the Licei, the diploma should be awarded taking more account of all the assessments achieved annually, with disciplines that are certainly less specific but nevertheless fundamental for university study.

It is precisely the universities that are the protagonists of a possible new model: State exams as a pass to enter them, as happens in Spain and Greece.

The model would not exclude students who did not attend a Liceo: it would be a more specific examination within the faculty, including Italian as a basic subject and other fundamental notions and skills for future studies.

The Maturità would thus finally be transformed into a useful tool for selecting and welcoming students into future studies and the world of work.

For a forward-looking examination

It is plain for all to see that the current system of national awarding of the Diploma of Secondary Education is not the most innovative, despite many reforms in recent years.

Not only is the Maturità compulsory in order to finish one’s studies with a degree in hand, but the exam has a disproportionate value that takes too little account of the students’ path.

In five years of secondary school, one faces tests, questions and trials (theoretical and practical) that require numerous skills: these only count for 40% for the final assessment in the third year.

To really help students, the best solution is to reshape the exam: from one big final hurdle to many small ones throughout the years, to further characterise the future at university or at work.

In future life, one needs not only precise disciplinary notions, but skills that look towards the university or working world. True maturity lies in the path and skills learnt during the school years, the only true judges of students.