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🇮🇹 Italy /Culture & Society

Emilia-Romagna Opens Primary Schools Early for 8,000 Children

From ANSA · () Italian

Translated from Italian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News From a news agency New plan
  • About 8,000 children in Emilia-Romagna began activities at primary schools two weeks before the official start of classes on Sept. 15.
  • The free, voluntary “Settembre insieme” program offers fencing, circus workshops, theater, games, homework help and social activities across about 150 schools in 42 municipalities.
  • The €3 million regional initiative aims to help families balance work and childcare, particularly those without nearby relatives.

About 8,000 children in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region returned to primary schools early, not for regular lessons but for fencing, circus workshops, theater, games, homework help and time with other children.

For us families, it is worth so much, it is worth its weight in gold.

— ParentA mother described the value of the early school program for working families.

The “Settembre insieme” program opened school buildings two weeks before the official start of classes on Sept. 15. The free, voluntary initiative is financed with €3 million from the regional government and involves about 150 school sites in 42 municipalities taking part in the region’s sustainable urban development agenda.

Bologna has the largest participation described in the report, with 1,700 children enrolled across 22 schools. At Scandellara Primary School in the San Donato-San Vitale district, the children were welcomed by regional President Michele de Pascale, regional education official Isabella Conti, Mayor Matteo Lepore and city councillor Daniele Ara.

When mom and dad work and the grandparents live far away, it is difficult.

— ParentA mother explained why the service matters to families without nearby relatives.

Parents strongly backed the experiment. One mother said, “For us families, it is worth so much, it is worth its weight in gold.” She said both parents work during a school holiday that lasts three and a half months. Another mother said the program was especially important for families whose grandparents live far away, while a father called it “enormous support” for those without other help.

Our strength is the continuity of the educational staff.

— Francesca FranchiThe local coordinator explained that educators already work in Bologna’s schools during the academic year.

Organizers had only July and August to arrange registrations, facilities, agreements and cleaning. The service is run by the Quadrifoglio social cooperative, whose educators already work in Bologna’s schools during the academic year. Officials said they hope to connect the experiment with summer centers and school projects, building what Ara called a more effective summer family welfare system. De Pascale described it as a measure unique in Italy, while Conti said families had expressed deep difficulty in combining work and family life.

The school must know how to change and adapt.

— Matteo LeporeThe Bologna mayor linked the initiative to families’ changing needs.
About this summary

Originally published by ANSA in Italian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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