Another Student Refuses Oral Test in Veneto Region Schools

Treviso: Another student on Friday refused to take the oral test in school-leaving examinations, marking the third incident in the northeastern Veneto region in less than a week.

According to Ansa News Agency, this trend of students refusing the oral examinations is attributed to their belief that the tests are reductive and hinge on an outdated concept of merit and competitiveness. These ideals are reportedly being reintroduced by Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing government.

The latest case occurred at a classical lycee in Treviso, involving an 18-year-old male student. The previous instances were reported at high schools in Padua and Belluno. In each of these situations, the students did not face the risk of failing their final exams, as they had already accumulated sufficient credits throughout the academic year.

Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara has expressed a firm stance against this growing practice. He announced that moving forward, any student who refuses to take the oral test will face the conseq
uence of failing. Valditara, who assumed his position in late 2022, has emphasized the importance of merit by incorporating the term into the name of his ministry.