Italian education and research are anti-constitutional

A letter from Romeo Ramacciotti, Lucca 

Dear Friends at JUST Response, 

Further to Domenico Pacitti’s articles on Italian higher education (Dead souls, A handbook for visiting academics in Italy, etc.), I would like to draw attention to some discrepancies between theory and practice in Italian education with particular reference to research funding and the Italian Constitution.

Article 9 of our constitution states: “The Republic promotes the development of culture and scientific and technical research. It safeguards the nation’s countryside and artistic heritage.”

The Lucca chamber of commerce recently held an “open competition with prizes for technological development in the province of Lucca”. The prizegiving took place on 13 June 2003 and I received a recognition of merit which consisted in a handshake and a sheet of paper.

My application was based on my patented invention of a self-activating centrifugal pump and the real reason I took part was because I knew that my application and related documentation would be permanently registered at the chamber of commerce.

The pump was entirely realised, produced and commercialised for domestic, agricultural and naval use, fire prevention and other areas where there is a demand for moving water through a secure process of self-activation. All of this was made possible by the Lucca-based company Cardini Rettifiche, especially Renzo Biondi and Antonio Ambrogi who financed the project and Enrico Menegoni who provided logistic support.

Italian industrial research is concerned with the development of industrial core business and receives adequate funding. Independent researchers, on the other hand, rarely find the necessary resources to realise their projects. Often it is only thanks to the credibility that an individual researcher has built up over the years that he is able to allay the fears of his prospective financier who will obviously evaluate the project in terms of economic return.

It is disgraceful that an Italian researcher who wishes to realise his project finds that he is obliged to emigrate to country where he can find the resources and the space which are denied in Italy. The history of our country is full of endless lists of such cases.

Article 9 of the Italian constitution clearly states that the Republic must indicate those places and means by which a researcher may submit his own projects and obtain an objective response. What is needed are concrete answers and provisions and not the usual standard affirmations that funds have been provided for research. It is in fact impossible for an individual to activate procedures in order to gain access to funding since it is virtually inaccessible, having been reserved for other categories. This situation is real, easily verifiable and very serious for the interests of our country.

Article 34 of the constitution states: “Education is open to everyone. Lower schooling is carried out for at least 8 years and is compulsory and free.” Those who have capability and merit, even if lacking in economic means, have the right to attain the highest levels of study. The Republic makes this possible through study grants, economic subsistence to families and other allowances which should be awarded on the basis of open competition.”

We should remember that the Italian education system is an institution of the Republic where pupils not only receive a general education but are also taught the arts, trades, professions and the natural and human sciences. It is the natural place for research and produces future state administrators. It is, in short, the seat of knowledge and on account of its considerable importance it must be assured the resources that are necessary for its best functioning.

Unfortunately this is not what happens in practice. Our education system is abandoned to its own devices and left unchecked. The causes are: lack of didactic freedom due to interference from political parties and the Catholic church; lack of teaching principles and rules; and lack of institutional guarantees.

What is the use of an education system when most people do not know the Italian constitution because they have never been taught it?

What is the use of a compulsory school education when it does not even teach you how to fill in your tax returns or how to interpret most fiscal and bureaucratic documents?

What is the use of an education system based on privilege where merit is neither recognised nor rewarded?

This could mean that there is a will on the part of the powers that be to ensure “privileges” to certain social classes and to maintain “in ignorance” most of the common people in order that they may be taken advantage of as has happened in the past. Otherwise those who run the country have to intervene and explain the failure to apply the constitution.

A number of measures are necessary.

The institutions of the Republic must enforce Article 34 of the constitution.

Minimal obligatory schooling must be brought into line with real demands.

The Republic, insofar as it is responsible for our schools and everything that takes place in them, must guarantee with all its constitutional means the regular course of school activities.

Universities must be ensured the means and freedom to carry out scientific and humanistic research and should be entrusted with the protection of our natural and artistic heritage and with the study of great works of national interest.

Universities should have the manpower and means capable of checking health and environment related products. It is not conceivable for a private structure to realise, certificate and commercialise products without the real possibility of control by the institutions of the Republic.

To conclude, in nature there is both grass that grows overnight and the tree that requires years to bear its fruit. In nature everything renews itself and changes continually in its own time and within its own rules and equilibrium. This is also what happens with human beings where the fruit of their work and free thought have their own time rhythms. Unfortunately, in the last 50 years of western civilisation have been characterised by much culture and technology, little humanistic science and creativity and increasingly less wisdom. Our country has great intellectual and creative potential and, if this is not to be wasted, a free education is required. This could make a great contribution both to our own country and to the rest of the world.

Note: This letter, originally in Italian, was published by JUST Response on July 13 2003.

Other letters from Romeo Ramacciotti: Uruguay, globalisation and coherence; Corrupting democracy and Constitution in Italy.

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