Parents May Face Fines Up to €1,000 for Not Learning Italian, Minister Announces
Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara said a new decree will fine parents between €200 and €1,000 if they do not complete an Italian language course after schools flag integration problems.
A government decree on education, approved by the cabinet on Thursday, introduces monetary penalties for parents who do not learn Italian when their children face serious integration difficulties at school. Schools must report such cases to social services, which will set up language courses for the parents. Completion of the program is mandatory; non-compliance will result in fines between €200 and €1,000.
Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara highlighted international studies, including OECD data, that stress the importance of parental engagement for academic success. The decree aims to encourage families to acquire language skills that facilitate their children's schooling.
Why it matters
It links parental language learning to school integration, using fines to enforce participation.
In this story
