Education Minister Lucia Azzolina reiterated on Friday that Italy's pupils will return to their classrooms in September while adding that distance learning may be an option for older students one day a week.
Italy's schools closed in the early stages of the coronavirus emergency in March and did not reopen before the end of the 2019-20 academic year.
"Everyone must physically return to school in September," Azzolina said.
"Digital learning was only designed for middle and high schools.
There could be one day a week (of distance learning for these schools)".
The minister said that an extraordinary public competition for the recruitment of 32,000 teachers "will take place soon, by the first week of October".
"Lots of supply teachers and lots of investment will be needed" she said.
The minister added that the new recruits could be called "COVID personnel" but stressed that, in the long term, they can help to "reduce overcrowding and (end) chicken-coop classrooms".
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