duffer

According to this report
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-20498356
The UK is the 6th best country for Education in the developed world.
It would be interesting to know where Italy ranks, or is it not part of the developed world?

Capo Boi

These type of surveys are always subjective with different input variables throwing up different results. That said, there is a certain rigorous approach to this survey. Only forty countries feature because similar data variables are not available or are incomplete for other countries making the 'developed world' part a bit arbitrary.
Of the 40, Italy's overall ranking is 24.
Interestingly, for Finland (which together with South Korea) is far out in front, children go to school at a relatively late age, have a shorter school day, longer holidays and little homework. Some estimates put children in Italy going to school for three years longer compared to the average of other countries. The other interesting feature thrown up is that compared to the average working salary in Italy, Italian teachers are paid 1.31 times more than this average. For Finish teachers compared to other Finish workers, 0.87 times.

ononno

...and that's why there are 300,000 applicants for 12,000 well paid jobs for 18 hours work a week.
ciao for now,
'o nonno

37100

With no training and no chance of being sacked no matter how much they screw up a child's education.

duffer

They must have some training come on!

pugliese

potty training perhaps......

duffer

No they do that between the years of 6 and 8 don't they?

So how does one become a teacher in Italy? Just apply for the lottery and start teaching? So in theory someone with a CELTA certificate is more qualified or should I say has had more training than an Italian teacher?

K in Modena

That used to be the way, yes. A friend of mine took an exam on French literature (during which everyone was cheating and asking each other the answers) and was given a ranking. Six years later they called her to sign her contract as a French teacher (she was given about 3 days' notice and was living in Paris at the time). She had no training - in theory they give you on the job training but in practice it didn't turn out to be much.

My SIL however studied for a year, maybe two, to become a French teacher so they have changed the system although I believe those who took the exam over 10 years ago have priority for the permanent positions.

Sancho

I'm surprised the UK comes so high, but then I've never taught in the UK system so all I know about it is second-hand.

Anyway, compare the latest PISA rankings - http://www.oecd.org/pisa/46643496.pdf

Capo Boi

PISA is one input of the above. Anything new Sancho? Maybe a Greece default? BTP yields can't possibly be sub 7% or can they?