The liceo ginnasio The
liceo classico school type finds its roots in the so-called
liceo ginnasio, established in 1859 with the
Casati law, as a school following elementary school (compulsory), initially in force in the
Kingdom of Sardinia and then extended to whole Italy after
Italian Unification. High schools, however, already existed, having been established during the Napoleonic era, to ensure a high level of education to secular institutions as well. On the model of the pre-unification humanist scholastic tradition, the Casati law provided for a single lyceum address in which the literary and humanistic subjects were prevalent. The original study plan foresaw an eight-year course (there was no middle school at the time), divided into five years of
ginnasio and a three-year
liceo ("lyceum"): the study of Latin began in the first gymnasium class, that of the (Ancient) Greek in the third. The
liceo ginnasio was an eight-year secondary school, since it also included middle school. It was accessed after primary school (initially a four-year school) and gave access to university degree courses of any kind;
liceo ginnasio was the only secondary course of lyceum type, which was not aimed at technical-professional training, but at the continuation of studies in the university. The study plan was directly related to the school tradition of the
trivium and were therefore prevalent humanities so much that, in the early years of gymnasium, the only Italian and Latin covered three-quarters of the total hours of lessons. It should however be considered that at the time, the elementary school (four-year and municipal) was very different from the modern one and that, in fact, the first true schooling took place at the gymnasium. The
liceo ginnasio was meant to form the future elite of Italy; those who attended were supposed to continue with their studies, since it didn't provide a professional education. Since its implementation, the school was criticized for its being focused on philosophical and humanistic topics and since it relegated scientific and technical education to a secondary role.
Timetable outline Later changes The gymnasium-lyceum outlined by the Casati law remained essentially unchanged until 1923, even if the schedules and timetable outlines were renewed several times (in 1867, 1884, 1888, 1892). The timetable outline of 1892 introduced the study of French from the third year of gymnasium to the fifth, filling the lack of a foreign language. At the beginning of the 20th century, having emerged the problem of poor mathematical/scientific instruction, individual lyceums were allowed to activate experimental sections in which, instead of the Ancient Greek, mathematics or a modern language could be taught. In 1911 the
liceo moderno and the first
liceo scientifico were established, which joined the traditional course; to distinguish it from the latter, the traditional gymnasium-lyceum began to be called informally "
liceo classico" ("classical lyceum"), even if, officially, the name remained "
ginnasio liceo" ("gymnasium-lyceum"). The
liceo moderno was abolished in 1923 with the
Gentile Reform, which at the same time established a new
liceo scientifico (in place of the previous one).
The Gentile reform The
Gentile Reform of 1923 kept the overall structure of the gymnasium/lyceum, emphasizing the humanistic-classicist aspect. This was in line with the principles of
neo-idealist philosophy, of which Gentile was with
Benedetto Croce, one of the greatest followers. In fact the neoidealist philosophers considered the literary, historical and digressive subjects the only ones able to provide real knowledge, especially philosophy, being in itself a literal, simple and primitive form of the abstract and natural sciences, and precisely for this reason indispensable for make them understandable. In the Gentile's view, elite schools had to coincide with the
liceo classico, intended for the education of future Italy's elites: only graduates from
liceo classico were in fact granted enrollment in any university degree course, while for example those who came from
liceo scientifico could not enroll neither in
humanities, nor in
law degree courses. This last obstacle was particularly serious, as law was a degree course of primary importance for Italy's elites.
Timetable outline The Bottai reform and the birth of the current liceo classico Before 1940, post-elementary education was divided into several school types, each of which was preparatory for either lyceum or technical school). In that year the
Bottai reform established the
three-year middle school, which absorbed the first three years of gymnasium: since then, the
liceo classico became structured as a five-year school, but it maintained the numbering of the previous classes (so the first two years became the fourth and fifth classes of
ginnasio, the last three became the first, second and third classes of
liceo: the numbering is typical of liceo classico schools, since other Italian secondary schools have a normal numbering). Apart from a few timetable adjustments, such as the separation of history and
geography into two separate subjects being taught in the fourth and fifth years of gymnasium, the new curriculum remained substantially identical to the previous one. On this occasion, the official name was changed to "
liceo classico"; the denomination of the years of study, however, remained as in the traditional one, still in force: after the third year of middle school, there are the fourth and fifth years of gymnasium and then the first, the second, and the third years of
liceo classico. The Gentile reform allowed liceo classico students to access university degree courses of any kind. Because of the
war, the timetable was repeatedly remodeled until it became quite standard in 1952.
Outline of the timetable Post-war and loss of the role of elite school The number of
liceo classico students started to decrease in favor of
liceo scientifico schools, also because it was easier to access those schools with the reform of middle schools. When, in 1969, access to university was granted to students coming from any Italian secondary school, the number of students who enrolled in liceo classico schools further decreased; at the time of
Gelmini reform (2010), students enrolled in the last year of
liceo classico amounted to 51,000 students compared to 103,000 of the
liceo scientifico.
From the 70s to the 2000s As all other high schools, also the
liceo classico, starting from 70's, enjoyed a certain degree of freedom that allowed to activate experimental curricula (
sperimentazioni) together with the official regulation course provided by the Ministry, or even in place of this. The experimental curricula, once approved, could be freely adopted by the individual
liceo classico schools. The most widespread
sperimentazione was going to fill what was perceived as the biggest gap in this school, namely the lack of foreign language education in the last three years; and indeed, this
experimentation effectively replaced the course of regulation and was itself the basis for further
sperimentazioni, such as ''sperimentazione storia dell'arte
("experimentation history of art") and sperimentazione P.N.I.'' ("National Plan of Computer studies" experimentation). At the time of
Gelmini reform (2010), the overwhelming majority of students attended one of the below curricula: •
Liceo classico – sperimentazione della comunicazione ("classical lyceum –
communication experimentation"): which included the study of the additional subject "Scienze della comunicazione" ("Communication Sciences"), and the program included an hour of law and economics from the fourth
gymnasium, two more hours of mathematics and two hours of Earth science and biology. The Language of Communication can vary from computer science, movie, theater and dance. •
Liceo classico – sperimentazione PNI linguistico ("classical lyceum –
P.N.I. linguistic experimentation"): provided for the usual strengthening of mathematics (4 hours at gymnasium, 3 hours at lyceum) and non-curricular teaching of a second foreign language (French, German, Spanish) for two hours per week for the first four years. The learning of the linguistic area, thus enhanced, is based on the comparative study of the common grammatical and semantic-lexical roots. The curriculum combines, therefore, the classical training, integrated with expansions in mathematical-informatic areas, with the requirements of European citizenship, expanding the curriculum with the teaching of a second community language.
Sperimentazione lingua straniera Sperimentazione lingua e arte Sperimentazione lingua e PNI Sperimentazione bilinguismo Sperimentazione Brocca The
liceo classico sperimentazione progetto Brocca ("classical lyceum – Project Brocca experimentation") envisaged, more than the traditional curriculum, the inclusion in the biennium of the subjects law and economy, laboratory of
chemistry and
physics,
Computer Technology combined with
mathematics for the entire five-year period, and an increase in science hours (
chemistry,
biology,
Earth sciences). The experimentation was abolished with the entry into force of the Gelmini reform.
Sperimentazione classico europeo The experimentation started with the principles of the
Maastricht Treaty, where the European dimension of teaching is linked to the learning and dissemination of the
languages of the Member States and the knowledge of the culture and history of the European peoples. In this way the
liceo classico europeo (literally "European classical lyceum") has been assigned the aim of favoring the formation of a European conscience, as a function of an ever greater strengthening of the
European Union. The
liceo classico europeo was conceived starting from the programs of the traditional
liceo classico curriculum, on which have been grafted peculiar or innovative features, such as, in particular, the five-year study of two foreign languages (the English language and a second Community language among French, German and Spanish), the study of law and of
political economy, the study of two non-linguistic curricular subjects taught in a foreign Community language among history,
history of art, science,
geography (also called
geo-history), and law and political economy, the merging of the (Ancient)
Greek and
Latin into a single subject (classical languages and literatures) with a comparative approach; moreover, the hours of mathematics are increased up to a total equal to that of the
liceo scientifico.
2000s In 2008 there were about 280,000 students signed in the
liceo classico (of which 70 percent were girls), placing this schooling curricula in fourth place (after
liceo scientifico curricula, and technical and professional institutes).
Moratti reform In secondary school there is a first two-year period and a second two-year period to which a further year is added. It is also possible to change majors without having to lose the years already passed and by just doing a small supplementary exam of the different subjects among the other majors (basic subjects such as: mathematics-history etc. go through the same stages for all majors). In all high schools the teaching of philosophy and the second community language was foreseen. In the articles 2 and 4 introduces school-work alternation, the discipline of which was dictated by Legislative Decree no. 15 April 2005. 77, although not mandatory.
Gelmini reform With the
Gelmini reform of 2010 the previous traditional
liceo classico curriculum, the
experimentations and the assisted projects all merged into the new
liceo classico curriculum, in force since 1 September 2010. The current course does not differ markedly from the previous one, established in 1952, but it contains a few minor improvements. The
liceo classico has the following timetable: • 1 With
computer science in the first two years • 2
biology,
chemistry,
earth science The main subjects are
humanities and literature. Regarding the subjects in common with all the lyceums, it is worth mentioning a considerable number of hours are also devoted to the study of history and philosophy. The main subjects are Latin and Ancient Greek. Latin is also taught in the first two academic years of the
liceo linguistico and in the traditional curricula of the
liceo scientifico and
liceo delle scienze umane, while Ancient Greek is taught only in
liceo classico schools. In the first two years (
ginnasio), liceo classico provides a thorough education on the grammar, syntax and morphology of Latin and Ancient Greek, while, in the last three years, courses are focused on Ancient Greek and Latin literature. Geography, which is taught
ginnasio together with history, is stopped in the last three years in favor of philosophy, physics and history of art. The program of natural sciences includes the study of chemistry and
astronomy in the first year, biology and chemistry in the subsequent three years and geology and chemistry in the last year. The Italian law
DPR 15 marzo 2010, n. 89 provided, in annex C--> In 2016, the students of
liceo delle scienze umane schools were 7.4% of total students, while those of
liceo classico were 6.2%, making
liceo classico the fourth
liceo school by number of students. ==Subjects==