Minister Valditara presents the new PCTO strengthening measures in the CdM
The Minister of Education and Merit Giuseppe Valditara presented in today's Council of Ministers a package of interventions that aim to ensure greater safety and effectiveness of the Pathways for Transversal Skills and Orientation (PCTO). The most urgent and necessary actions are contained in the Decree-law establishing measures for social inclusion and will enter into force from the 2023/2024 school year. The other interventions for the relaunch of the PCTOs will form part of a draft law on employment.
"These are concrete measures that aim to give greater safety and effectiveness to the school-work alternation courses", is the comment of the Minister Valditara, "after a phase of attentive listening to the requests of the various components of the school and of fruitful dialogue with the trade union representatives , let's reform the PCTOs so that they are safe and quality routes".
MEASURES
Interventions included in the Decree-law containing measures for social inclusion (in force from 2023/2024)
The companies involved in the Pathways will have to integrate their own risk assessment document with a specific section which will indicate the prevention measures and protective equipment for children. The supplement to the document will be provided to the school and attached to the Agreement stipulated between the institute and the company.
"It is a measure that fits into the context of the commitment undertaken by the Government towards families so that PCTO and safety go hand in hand", commented Minister Valditara. Following dedicated tables between the Ministry of Education and Merit and the Ministry of Labor and Social Policies, a fund of 10 million for 2023 and 2 million for the 2024, aimed at compensating the families of students who are victims of accidents during school-work alternation activities.
Furthermore, the Decree-law expressly provides that the PCTO must be consistent with the Three-Year Plan of the Educational Offer (PTOF) of the institutes and with the cultural, educational and professional profile of the individual study courses offered by the schools. To ensure this aim, the figure of the planning coordinator teacher is also introduced, who will be identified by the educational institution.
At the same time, the register for school-work alternation at the chambers of commerce, industry, handicrafts and agriculture is strengthened, with the inclusion of further requirements that the companies hosting the PCTOs must possess in order to avoid resorting to unqualified companies. Among these requisites, the company's structural, technological and organizational capabilities, experience gained in the Pathways, possible participation in forms of organizational connection with trade associations, school networks, territorial bodies already involved in PCTOs.
For a profitable planning of the Pathways, the interaction and exchange of information and data, hitherto lacking, are envisaged between the National Register for school-work alternation and the School-work alternation platform, set up at the Ministry of 'Education and Merit, which is renamed as "Platform for Pathways for Transversal Skills and Orientation". Furthermore, a system of constant monitoring of the quality of the Paths is envisaged.
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Interventions included in the bill on labor matters
Confirming the absolute priority of the issue of student safety, training on safety in the workplace is introduced as part of the teaching of civic education.
To ensure the consolidation and quality of the PCTOs, the Ministry of Education and Merit establishes the National Observatory to support the monitoring and evaluation activities of the Pathways. Composition, functioning and duration of the Observatory will be defined by decree of the Minister.
The Register of good practices of PCTOs is also introduced at the MIM, which will collect the best actions of educational institutions, to encourage the dissemination and sharing of experiences of excellence.