Scesta finally had its new primary school completed and inaugurated last week. This luminously airy state of the art structure replaces a former school building which had to be closed and eventually demolished because it had become dangerous and, in fact, was not even designed for an area prone to both earthquakes and landslides.

The school’s inauguration was attended by a multiplicity of notables including those from the regional government. Speeches praised the effort and promises were made that Scesta heralded a new age for the area’s elementary school education.

There were few references to those voices who had criticised the project. These criticism were directed at three main points:

1. The delay in building a replacement school (over three years)
2. The cost involved (over a million euros)
3. Whether there was a need to replace the Scesta building after it was closed.

Anyway, despite the criticisms the school opened with an excellent atmosphere spread among everyone present. Many grown-ups, indeed, wished they were children again so they could start up in such welcoming classrooms.

One criticism remains however. A school built for 170 pupil placed only has 40 enrolled. Why? It’s simply because Italians aren’t producing enough children. Indeed, the peninsula’s population has actually decreased over the past few years. Some may state that this problem of falling birthrates does not afflict those persons coming from Africa or Asia. But do these third-worlders demand designer clothes for their children, special growth diets, regular seaside holidays, expensive toys or Christmas and Easter shows?

Only the best for children especially in Italy!