Italy’s cabinet has approved rules that would cap the share of certain foreign pupils in primary-school classes and impose fines for wearing face coverings on school premises.
From the 2027–28 school year, the proposed decree would limit to 30% the pupils in a class who are not Italian citizens and were not born in Italy, or who attended fewer than two years of nursery school in the country. Where demand exceeds the cap, education authorities would redistribute children among nearby schools while considering access and family circumstances.
A separate provision would allow fines of up to €1,000 for entering school grounds with the face covered. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government describes the measures as tools for integration. School leaders and opposition parties say the pupil cap will be difficult to administer in areas with large immigrant populations and may create new barriers to education.
The rules are not yet fully operative. President Sergio Mattarella must sign the decree, and he has cautioned against obstacles to schooling. Implementation will also require officials to resolve questions the draft leaves open, including how transfers will work when several neighbouring schools are already near the ceiling.
About 900,000 foreign pupils attend Italian schools, roughly 11.6% of the national student population. The legal effect will therefore be concentrated in particular towns and regions rather than spread evenly across the country.
