Green light for the School Decree: 30% cap for foreign students and mandatory courses for parents

The Council of Ministers has given the green light to the legislative decree on schools, which introduces measures for the integration of foreign students. The text confirms the maximum cap of 30% of students without Italian citizenship in first-year classes and the prohibition on participating in school activities "with the face covered," referring to burqas and niqabs.

A central innovation is mandatory Italian literacy courses for foreign parents who do not master the language. Schools must report families in difficulty to social services, which will prescribe free attendance at courses offered by Provincial Centers for Adult Education. In case of non-participation, fines ranging from 200 to 1,000 euros are foreseen, sanctions also applicable for violations of the ban on face coverings.

The decree stems from the government's desire to promote integration in schools, placing knowledge of the Italian language as a fundamental cornerstone. Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara explained that the objective is to remove language barriers for parents, which are considered an obstacle to dialogue with the school and have negative repercussions on their children's educational paths.

This measure fits into a long-standing debate on managing the presence of foreign students in classrooms. The 30% cap is not entirely new but is now being regulated by law, with specific criteria: for primary schools, it considers pupils not born in Italy or without two years of kindergarten; for secondary schools, students without three positive years in the Italian system. Exceptions are provided, along with a fund of millions of euros starting from 2028 for extracurricular language enhancement activities.