Trends in Italian religious and Catholic education

Recent data indicates significant shifts within the Italian educational landscape regarding religious instruction and Catholic institutions.

In state primary schools, there has been an increase in the availability of secular textbooks for alternative religious education hours. The percentage of classes providing free secular materials instead of those following Church doctrine rose to 17.02%, up from 5.63% three years prior. This trend is most pronounced in Central and Northern Italy, particularly in provinces such as Asti, Teramo, and Genova.

Simultaneously, the Catholic school system has experienced a substantial decline. According to a report by the Center for Research on Catholic Schools (CSSC), the number of Catholic schools in Italy fell from 9,371 in the 2010-2011 school year to 7,345 by 2026. Student enrollment within these institutions also dropped by approximately 32.6%, falling from 740,636 to 498,863 students over the same period. The decline was most severe in preschools, which saw a 41.2% decrease.