report by Maximiliano Crocamo
With the new school year approaching, enrollment figures in Monfalcone offer a picture of a city whose schools continue to serve a substantial and increasingly diverse student population.
A total of 3,538 students are expected to attend schools in the municipality this September, according to figures from the Gorizia provincial school office. Of those, 1,199 will attend primary schools, 729 middle schools and 1,610 high schools. The total represents an increase of 152 students, from 3,386 enrolled in the 2024-25 school year.
The most recent official figures released by Italy’s Ministry of Education and Merit show that foreign students accounted for about 48 percent of enrollment in Monfalcone in 2024-25, although their presence varied considerably by age group.
At primary schools, foreign students represented nearly 70 percent of enrollment, while their share was around 60 percent in middle schools. At high schools, the figure fell sharply, to about 23 percent.
The majority of foreign students come from Bangladesh, reflecting the city’s large Bangladeshi community, which grew around employment at the Fincantieri shipyards. The next largest groups are from Romania, followed by North Macedonia, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The figures have placed Monfalcone at the center of a broader national discussion about how Italian schools should respond to growing numbers of students from immigrant families.
