Italy moves to ban burqas, niqabs in schools, limit foreign students per class

Italy is preparing measures to ban full-face coverings such as burqas and niqabs in schools and impose a maximum number of foreign students allowed in each classroom, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced on Sunday.

According to India Today, Meloni said the proposals would soon be presented to the Cabinet as part of her government’s approach to migration, language and integration in Italian schools.

The measures would also require parents of foreign students who face serious difficulties integrating into the school system to learn Italian.

Meloni did not specify the proposed maximum number of foreign students per class. She argued that children who do not understand Italian can integrate more easily when surrounded by Italian-speaking classmates and teachers, but said integration becomes more difficult when such students form a large proportion or majority of a classroom.

Students without Italian citizenship currently account for 11.6% of pupils enrolled in Italian schools, according to research institution Fondazione ISMU.

Meloni also said pupils must attend school with their faces uncovered, specifically naming the burqa and niqab. The proposed restriction does not include the hijab, which covers the hair but leaves the face visible.

The announcement was made during an annual gathering of the youth wing of Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party.

The proposals come as migration and integration remain prominent political issues in Italy. The measures have not yet become law and must proceed through the government’s legislative process.