Plans for Bible reading and Latin in Italian schools criticised as ‘retrograde’

Bible reading, Latin and learning poetry by heart could return to Italian primary and middle schools as part of a revamp of national curriculum guidelines criticised as “retrograde” and “nostalgic”.

The education minister, Giuseppe Valditara, unveiled the guidelines, which predominantly affect children aged three to 14 and are expected to take effect from the 2026/2027 school year, in an interview with the rightwing newspaper, Il Giornale, saying that children must discover “a taste for reading” and “learn to write better”.

Although he didn’t specify that the Bible would become part of the primary school syllabus, Paola Frassinetti, the education ministry’s undersecretary, told Ansa news agency that Christianity’s sacred text would be present “in some form” owing to it “having inspired numerous works of literature, music and painting and influenced the cultural heritage of many civilisations”.

Latin would be reintroduced as an option in middle schools and history lessons would prioritise Italy, Europe and the western world, “but without ideological prejudice”, Valditara told Il Giornale.

Valditara was also in favour of reviving the technique of reciting poetry by heart, “starting with simple texts at the beginning, even nursery rhymes and tongue-twisters”.

Children could then move on to reading more challenging texts, he added, citing classical epics, Greek mythology and even Norse sagas, which some observers have connected with the far-right prime minister Giorgia Meloni’s fascination with the JRR Tolkien fantasy, The Lord of the Rings.

“We must cultivate the imagination and the ability of children to be amazed, but without losing grammar and the study of the rules along the way,” Valditara said.

According to reports in the Italian press, reading lists would include books by a variety of 19^th and 20^th century Italian poets and writers, such as Giovanni Pascoli and Umberto Saba, although space would also be made for the likes of the American horror novelist, Stephen King.

While supporters have praised Valditara’s “courage”, he was harshly criticised by political opponents.

Elly Schlein accused the government of ‘confusing authoritarianism with authority’. Photograph: Marco Vasini/AP

Elly Schlein, the leader of the centre-left Democratic party, claimed Valditara’s nod to repression “confuses authoritarianism with authority”. “He seems nostalgic for the time of slaps on the hand,” she said. “His vision is out of touch.”

Politicians from the Five Star Movement said in a statement that Valditara continues to perpetrate a “retrograde vision”. “Instead of accompanying students into the new millennium he seems intent on taking them back to the 1950s. What’s next? Bringing back black and white TVs?”

Meanwhile, students protested against Valditara’s initiatives during a visit by the minister to a school in Lecce, Puglia, on Thursday morning. “Our schools are falling apart, money is spent on weapons instead of education … but in the face of all the problems the only response from the minister and the Meloni government is repression,” the group said in a statement to Ansa.

The education ministry’s new guidelines follow the reinstatement in September of a policy to fail badly behaved students.