Italy is very concerned about the demographic decline. The number of students in the country will drop by a million over the next decade as the birth rate plummets, Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara warned Thursday. The number of students will decrease by a maximum of 120,000 per year over the next 10 years.
“The impact of the falling birth rate on schools and education is clearly visible,” Valditara said in a video message to participants at a conference on demographic decline currently taking place in Rome. The number of students in Italy will fall from 7.4 million in 2021 to just over 6 million in school year 2033/34.
Italy fights against emigration of young people
The sharp fall in student numbers could also lead to a decline in the number of teachers from the current 684,000 to 558,000 in 2033/34, Valditara said. The effects are exacerbated by the so-called “brain drain”, that is, the brain drain of young people who have studied in Italy and are seeking better opportunities abroad, the minister added.
Birth rate in 2022 at an all-time low
According to the Italian statistical agency ISTAT, the birth rate in Italy fell to an all-time low of less than 400,000 in 2022. This is the 14th consecutive annual decline. The total number of the Italian population decreased by 179,000 persons to 58.85 million.
Minister of the Family Eugenia Roccella stressed the need to better combine women’s work with family responsibilities. “All polls agree that Italian women want children, usually two. If this wish is not fulfilled, it is because they are faced with the choice of either pursuing a career or becoming a mother,” explains the minister. It is necessary to create work environments that welcome motherhood and do not penalize it.
Tax benefits for employees with children
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Pope Francis will also attend the conference in Rome on Friday. In recent years, the Holy Father has repeatedly warned of the “demographic winter” in the West. To support families, the Meloni government last week approved a work package that would provide workers with children with an exemption from this year’s fringe benefits, up to a maximum of €3,000 per worker.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
