Less ideology, more literacy

Schools must prepare young people for the real world. This means equipping them with useful, concrete tools that make a difference in their daily lives and their future. The government's proposal for the new National Strategy for Citizenship Education and the Citizenship and Development course outline aims in this direction: refocusing the course on structuring themes such as human rights, pluralism, and democracy, but also, finally, reinforcing subjects such as financial literacy and entrepreneurship.

It's a welcome change because, for too long, this discipline has focused on ideological debates that divide society and distance students from the essentials. If the goal is to form informed, responsible citizens prepared for adult life, then teaching how to create a family budget, understand how credit works, or differentiate between consumption and investment is far more important than discussing abstract concepts of identity.

Many young people leave school without knowing how an employment contract works, how to avoid over-indebtedness, or how to save for the future. This has real consequences: it pushes them toward ill-informed financial decisions and cycles of economic instability. Introducing financial literacy from the earliest stages, progressively, in a way that's age-appropriate and connected to everyday life, is a decisive step toward changing this.

Active citizenship isn't just about principles, it's also about skills. Understanding the economic system, consumer rights, and the foundations of financial sustainability is a key skill for any citizen.

At the same time, the new script maintains core themes such as human rights, cultural diversity, and democracy, ensuring solid civic education aligned with constitutional values. But it does so in a more balanced manner, without giving disproportionate weight to controversial issues that divide more than they educate.

This proposal is, therefore, a positive sign of political maturity and a focus on students' real needs. Citizenship should not be a stage for ideological disputes; it should be a space for useful, pluralistic, and life-oriented learning.