Italian Education Minister Valditara Proposes 30% Cap on Foreign Students in Classrooms

Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara announced that a new circular will soon set a maximum of 30% foreign‑origin pupils in any classroom. He argues the measure is needed to prevent “flight” of Italian students from schools with high concentrations of foreign‑born children.

Data from the ministry show that only 7.6% of classes currently exceed the 30% threshold, a fact highlighted by immigration sociologist Maurizio Ambrosini, who called the proposal “unnecessary” and warned it could reinforce segregation. Valditara also linked the policy to a ban on face‑covering garments such as the burqa and niqab in schools with many Muslim students, citing constitutional values, gender equality and a European Court of Justice ruling on socialisation rights. Additionally, he suggested revoking residence permits for families that fail to enrol their children in school, building on existing penalties for school‑attendance violations. Opposition figures criticised the measures as discriminatory and ineffective for genuine integration.