Italian president Sergio Mattarella signs school decree introducing 30% foreign student cap and face-covering ban

Presidential approval and administrative review

Italian President Sergio Mattarella enacted the decree-law governing the start of the 2026/2027 school year on 30 September 2026, sending the text to parliament for conversion into law. The measure cleared the Quirinale after six days of examination by the State General Accounting Office under Daria Perrotta to verify budget allocations. Legal advisers at the presidency worked alongside officials from Palazzo Chigi and the Ministry of Education to refine the text, which contains 15 articles and enters into force on 1 October 2026. A proposal present in early drafts to separate children from foreign parents who refused Italian language classes was removed prior to final approval. In addition, a planned mini-fund for Ministry of Education employees was dropped following objections raised during the financial audit.

Integration quotas and language support

The core of the decree establishes a 30% cap on foreign students in first-year classes across elementary, middle, and high schools starting in the 2027/2028 academic year. The threshold targets students who do not meet specific Italian language and academic requirements, while exempting children born in Italy. Further exemptions apply to students who have completed two years of preschool or three years within the national education system. Territorial school offices must redistribute pupils among neighbouring schools under proximity principles whenever class compositions exceed the 30% limit. For institutions unable to meet the threshold, the decree finances dedicated Italian language enhancement courses with €3.4 million in 2027 and €14.1 million annually beginning in 2028.

Penalties for face coverings and parental obligations

The decree establishes a formal prohibition against attending school activities with covered faces, covering garments such as the burqa and niqab as well as helmets, unless required for health or instructional reasons. Violators face administrative fines ranging from €200 to €1,000. Identical financial penalties apply to foreign parents whose language barriers impede their children's schooling if they refuse to attend free Italian courses without a justified reason. These adult classes, organized through provincial adult education centers (CPIA), are designed to bring parents to at least an A2 language proficiency level. Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara previously rejected claims that the government ever intended to strip parental rights over language course attendance.

Curricular revisions and budgetary allocations

Beyond integration rules, the legislation introduces structural adjustments to secondary and lower secondary education curricula. Technical and professional institutes are formally rebranded as technological high schools and professional high schools (licei tecnologici and licei professionali). Middle schools will reintroduce Latin as an optional subject from the second year, offering one elective hour per week for a total of 33 hours annually. The legislation allocates roughly €200 million over three years, targeting school dropouts with €70 million, executive remuneration with €14 million, anti-violence courses with €6 million, and language training with €17.5 million. Additional provisions address cyberbullying, digital educational services, and free school textbooks.