Abstract:

The National Operating Programme 2014-2020 “For School - skills and learning environments” (hereinafter, NOP “For School”) is an important tool to support Italian educational policies. It aims to the structural and qualitative improvement of all schools types, which are included in the Italian educational system.

The NOP “For School” includes four axes: Education; Educational infrastructures; Institutional and administrative ability; Technical Assistance. It has a twofold purpose:
1) to pursue equity and cohesion, reducing territorial disparities, sustaining disadvantaged schools, and supporting students with difficulties;
2) to ensure educational excellence and to achieve fair access to education for everyone, boosting educational success regardless of individual socioeconomic conditions.

This study intends to systematize the initiatives undertaken by schools to achieve equity in education during the current period of epidemiologic and financial crisis. A mixed, quali-quantitative approach has been adopted for this purpose.

The NOP “For School”, in collaboration with the integrated management system of national planning (GPU – Gestione Programmazione Unitaria), allowed schools to implement distance-learning platforms (labelled DaD – “Didattica a Distanza”) to reduce inequalities, territorial gaps, social exclusion, and digital divide. In particular, the axis 2: “Educational infrastructures” provided educational institutions with the opportunity to create virtual classes in times of crisis.
Through a statistical investigation, the actions undertaken by Italian schools to curb educational inequality were investigated.

The preliminary results are encouraging:
1. For the creation of smart classes for the school of the first cycle of education, the Italian schools participated with an adhesion ranging from 100% to 70%;
2. For the creation of smart classes for the school of the second cycle of education, the Italian schools participated with an adhesion ranging from 95.83% to 63.27%;
3. For adaptation of spaces and educational classrooms in consequence of the health emergency from COVID-19 the adhesion ranged from 95.92% to 50.50%
4. The national territorial areas more active and dynamic are in the South of the country, that is to say the economically disadvantaged area of Italy.
The NOP “For School” is a valuable tool to pursue “…a smart, fair, sustainable and inclusive growth” in line with the founding principle of the Programm.

Keywords:

COVID 19, Distance Learning, National Operational Programme, Social Inclusion, Equity.