Italy's PNRR education spending stalls at 45% as school projects lag

A Fondazione Agnelli report released in February 2026 shows that only 45.6 % of the funds allocated to the PNRR education programme – covering preschools, schools and universities – have been spent, up from 36.6 % in October 2025. School‑building works have reached 52 % of their budget, while overall PNRR implementation is at 55.6 %.

The report counts 3 849 approved projects that could create about 186 000 new places, but 62 % of the education resources are still tied up in contracts or execution phases. Director Andrea Gavosto warned that “many important projects may not be completed in the agreed time frames,” citing new‑school construction and the expansion of nursery‑school places as at risk.

Funding for early‑childhood services has been reduced from €4.6 bn to roughly €3.8 bn, and the target for new nursery places fell from 264 000 to 150 480. Regional disparities are pronounced: the Centre‑North (e.g., Veneto +39, Emilia‑Romagna +32, Piemonte +29 points) is ahead of the national average, while the Mezzogiorno (Campania, Puglia, Calabria, Sicilia at 21‑28 %) and Lazio (17 %) lag behind.

With the plan’s deadline of 30 June 2026 only four months away, the report highlights a heightened risk that a significant number of projects will miss the deadline.