School sizing | Asked by Braia and Polese (Italia Viva) to discuss it in the Regional Council

Friday 20 January 2023 – “An important story such as the one concerning the ‘School sizing’ cannot be left at the mercy of decisions that do not involve the highest regional assembly. Now, in order not to be caught unprepared for next year’s deadlines, in which exceptions to mountain municipalities and schools currently listed for a two-year period as standard-sized will no longer be guaranteed, no further time should be wasted. We therefore ask that the issue come to the attention of the Council as soon as possible to avoid approximations and confusion, including regulatory ones”.

This is what the vice president of the regional council declares Mario Polese together with the group leader of Iv -Renew Luca Braia.
“A story – reconstruct the exponents of Italia Viva – which takes on disarming characteristics if one considers that the ‘dimensioning’ has not ended up being discussed in the regional council, following the approval of the ‘Guidelines’ by the Giunta on 30 September, first due to the failure to convene the Fourth Commission in the previous months and due to a regional meeting which never put the issue on the agenda.
Yet we are talking about an act of direction and fundamental programming for the provision of the Lucano school service on which the Regional Council has been deprived of decision-making power.
In fact, having expired the term of twenty days from the date of receipt of the deed by the Regional Council, provided for in paragraph 6 of article 58 of the Regional Statute, the question has never seen discussion, if not timidly during the fourth commission convened last January 5, and therefore already extremely late”.

“It is a theme that sees many municipalities involved, grappling with the age-old question of school decline and with communities that could see the aggregation of institutes and historical complexes, also in light of the restoration of the minimum ceiling of 400 students for mountain municipalities , 600 for non-mountain municipalities which starting from 2024 will collide with the more stringent national standard.
This is unacceptable – underline Polese and Braia – and the Council needs to take back a situation that could only get worse if further postponed “.

And the regional councilors of Italia Viva continue: “The Giunta, with a resolution approved last January 13, substantially confirmed the plan of the Province of Potenza and Matera, with an exception to some requests from mayors and managers of the province of Potenza, but without going through the Council. We can no longer allow issues like this not to see wider and more participatory discussions. And this is why we strongly ask that similar errors not be repeated or perpetrated in the future, which can only be avoided by taking responsibility that leaves no room for hesitation or programmatic confusion”.

“The good news – explain the Renzian exponents again – is that just this morning during the fourth commission, it was decided, on a proposal from Polese himself and thanks to the consent of President Sileo and the other commissioners present, to open a series of discussions and meetings precisely on the sizing plan, involving mayors and the world of the school.

“There are stories at stake of communities that through the school have trained numerous professionals, men and women, that cannot be ignored by distractions and delays. Many villages and municipalities still exist thanks to the school and the training it created. We talk about the identity and future of our children, and we can’t go wrong with this” conclude Polese and Braia.

Cover photo: Mario Polese, Luca Braia