interviews: Nina Vaclavikova
More than 527,000 students across Italy have begun the Maturità, the country’s state high school graduation examination, this Thursday June 18, marking the culmination of their secondary education.
The exam process started at 8:30 a.m. with a written Italian-language test. Students are given up to six hours to complete an essay based on one of seven prompts, which include literary analysis, argumentative writing and reflections on contemporary issues.
The examination is divided into three categories of topics: two focused on textual analysis, three on argumentative essays and two requiring students to develop a discussion of a current-affairs theme.
A second written examination follows on June 19, testing students in a subject determined by their course of study. Students attending classical high schools, for example, will sit a Latin examination, while those in scientific high schools will be tested in mathematics. Business and economics students will complete an examination in business economics.
The length of the second test varies by institution and subject, ranging from six to eight hours. In some programs, including artistic high schools, the examination can extend over several days.
The Maturità consists of two written examinations and an oral examination. Together, they assess students’ proficiency in Italian, subject-specific knowledge and their overall educational preparation.
This year’s exams are the first to reflect reforms to the oral examination introduced by the Education Ministry. Under the new format, students will be questioned on four subjects selected annually by the ministry, replacing the previous model, which centered on interdisciplinary presentations and materials proposed by teachers.
The reforms also introduce stricter consequences for students who refuse to participate in the oral examination. Last year, several students attracted national attention after declining to take the oral test as a form of protest but were nevertheless able to obtain their diplomas. Under the revised rules, students who deliberately refuse to sit the oral examination will not pass the Maturità.
Final grades are calculated using a combination of academic credits earned during the final three years of high school and scores achieved during the examination process. Students may earn up to 40 points through coursework and a maximum of 60 points through the Maturità itself, with up to 20 points awarded for each of the two written tests and the oral examination.
