Italy spends 4.1% of its GDP on its children's education, well below the European average of 4.8%, Save the Children Italia said in a report on Wednesday, Azernews reports, citing ANSA.

The report said this lack of investment caused several problems, including a shortage of nursery places and shortfalls in the number of schools that offer school lunches and full-time programmes to help families in which both parents work.

It said that, while the school sector was a focus of attention during the COVID-19 pandemic, spending on non-higher education has fallen since the end of the health emergency.