SSk worried about autonomy of Slovenian education in Italy
Trieste/Gorizia, 5 August - The Slovenian Community (SSk), a party of the Slovenian minority in Italy, is worried about Slovenian education in the region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, opposing plans to cut the number of teachers.
In recent days the head of the Office for Slovenian Schools, which is part of the Regional Education Office, broke the news that the number of teachers at Slovenian schools in Friuli Venezia Giulia will be cut by around 50.
Igor Giacomini has said he learnt about this plan from a memo of Regional Education Office director general Daniela Beltrame, which she has however denied, the newspaper of the Slovenian minority in Italy, Primorski Dnevnik, reported today.
In today's release, the SSk urged more autonomy for the Office for Slovenian Schools, which has been established under the Italian 2001 Slovenian minority protection law.
It believes the government in Rome should regulate its legal status to ensure the necessary level of administrative autonomy so that it can decide independently about staff at schools which teach in the Slovenian language.
"Slovenian schools represent an irreplaceable cultural, educational and social pillar of our ethnic community," the party wrote.
It also believes that autonomy of Slovenian education in Italy should be harmonised at bilateral level between Italy and Slovenia.