“The new school sizing plan for the year 2024/25, approved by the Regional Council, is of considerable concern due to the indifference that has also been recorded in our latitudes towards the social function that public schools play. On the other hand, President Occhiuto, contrary to what was done by other Regions in Italy, had approved the guidelines for the sizing of the Calabrian school network without batting an eyelid, appearing as usual to be obsequious to the Meloni Government, which once again penalizes Southern regions and, therefore, also Calabria”. The mayor says so Franz Caruso expressing closeness and support to the educational institutions and fellow Mayors who have seen 29 autonomous schools abolished in the province of Cosenza, 3 of which in Acri alone.
“I spoke to the mayor by telephone Pino Capalbo – continues the mayor of Cosenza – who expressed great bitterness to me for the clean cut made in Acri, where a single center was formed with the 2nd level secondary schools, but also the desire to carry forward a sacrosanct protest, which I understand and support, in favor of the right to study which must be guaranteed to our students, which is instead undermined by the approved sizing plan.”
“The social function that public schools play is undermined – insists Franz Caruso – as enshrined in our Constitutional Charter, aiming only to reduce costs, to the detriment of our education system which instead needed to be strengthened and further enhanced, putting students, families, school managers, teachers and those who work in the foreground in the school institution, for inclusive, efficient and functional education, and capable of combating school dropout which has reached high percentages in Calabria”.
“This is why – concludes Mayor Franz Caruso – I return to stigmatize the silent and obsequious attitudes of those who represent us at a regional level, placing myself once again alongside citizens, institutions and the world of schools”.