TEACHERS joined a general strike against the government earlier this month - the biggest for 20 years.

Their action closed schools all over the country and followed a “creative” protest against reform when 5,000 teachers joined hands in the rain with former education minister Tullio De Mauro to dance round the ministry.

Reforms to the education system were approved in March. One of the main innovations is to bring the starting age forward for scuola materna (nursery school) by six months, to two and a half. This would have a knock-on effect on enrolment ages, enabling pupils who stay on to take university entrance exams to finish at 18 instead of 19, while keeping the number of school years at 13.

The school-leaving age moves from 15 to 18, but this means families must make career choices for 13-year-olds at the end of the scuola media. They must choose between the academic liceo system, and vocationally-oriented schools offering work placements.

When the proposal was first made it infuriated teachers and families who believed the choice came too early. Now, pupils who change their minds are to be guaranteed the chance to change schools.

Less controversial is the requirement for all trainee teachers to do a two-year postgraduate course.

However, secondary teachers are concerned about potential job losses and a new contractual obligation to provide up to six hours a week cover for absent colleagues. They fear the increased workload will not be reflected in overtime payments.

The new reform is to be implemented gradually from September.