Working student who failed due to excessive absences allowed to retake A-levels

The Campania Regional Administrative Court, First Section in Salerno, has allowed a working student – who had previously been excluded for ‘exceeding the maximum number of absences’ – to sit the school-leaving examination.

The Regional Administrative Court upheld the appeal lodged by Fiorita Lombardi, a lawyer practising at the Avellino Bar, who argued that the court had failed to take into account the relevant legal provisions which – whilst requiring attendance of at least three-quarters of school hours – allow for exceptions where these do not prejudice learning. Consequently, the decision refusing admission has been overturned.

The working student, enrolled in the fifth year of a secondary school in the Province of Irpinia, had been informed that he would not be admitted to the school-leaving exam after spending the year alternating between shifts at work and studying. His lawyer lodged an appeal with the Regional Administrative Court (TAR), enabling the student to sit the final exam, which he passed with flying colours. In the last few hours, the Salerno Regional Administrative Court has handed down its ruling, overturning the decision of the school in the province of Avellino and passing the student, who had previously been issued with two notices of non-admission.