Mathematics-focused sixth-form college: national pilot scheme gets underway

By Ministerial Decree No. 104 of 10 June 2026, the Ministry of Education and Merit authorised a national pilot scheme for the Mathematics-focused Upper Secondary School, which will begin in the 2026/2027 academic year.

This is a major development for the Italian school system. The Mathematics-Focused Sixth Form is not simply a matter of increasing the number of hours devoted to the subject, but a cultural and educational initiative that recognises the central role of mathematics in pupils’ education.

“This pilot scheme forms part of a wider drive to modernise the teaching of mathematics in upper secondary schools, building on the work carried out on the new National Guidelines,” said the Minister for Education and Merit, Giuseppe Valditara. “ The aim is to emphasise the rigour of mathematics and, at the same time, to strengthen its ability to promote understanding, reasoning, interpretation and dialogue with other disciplines. Investing in mathematics means investing in the quality of education, in the development of critical thinking and in the country’s ability to tackle the challenges of the present and the future.”

The Mathematics Workshop will enable pupils to explore in greater depth the links between mathematical and scientific knowledge and the humanities, through interdisciplinary programmes designed by schools themselves in consultation with universities. This approach highlights the value of mathematics as a way of thinking and as a fundamental tool for citizenship, particularly in the face of the challenges posed by artificial intelligence and technological innovation.