The government will take measures to try to ensure that the majority of Italian school classes are Italian pupils and that foreign students assimilate along with their parents by learning Italian language and culture, and not living in separate communities, Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara said Thursday.
"If one agrees that foreigners should assimilate into thefundamental values enshrined in the Constitution, this willhappen more easily if the majority in the classes are Italians,if they study Italian in an enhanced manner where they do notalready know it well, if Italian history, literature , art, and music are taught in depth in the schools, if their parents are also involved in learning the Italian language and culture, and if they do not live in separate communities," he said.
"It is in this direction that we intend to move," he said.
Valditara went on to urge assimilation through learning essential values and to reject the 'melting pot' model of multiculturalism.
He said: "Inclusion can either take place by assimilating the newcomers into the fundamental values, those that are enshrined in the Constitution and belong to the identity of the host, or by realizing the melting pot society, where everyone thinks and does what they want.
"The first society has an orderly and prosperous future, the second faces disintegration and chaos".
An alleged lack of assimilation of foreign students has been highlighted recently by the case of a school near Milan where40% of the students are Muslim and which has given them the last day of Ramadan off.
In other places there are even larger majorities of non-Italian pupils and students.
Rightwing politicians like League leader Matteo Salvini have said there must always be a majority of Italian students in Italy's classrooms.
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