Italy to Ban Veils in Schools Under Meloni’s Proposed Education Rules
Sandego.net – Italy to ban veils in schools under a proposed government measure that would also set a legal maximum for foreign students in each classroom, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Sunday. The plan specifically refers to burqas and niqabs and would require some parents of foreign students with serious integration difficulties to learn Italian.
Meloni announced the proposal during the annual gathering of the youth organization linked to her Brothers of Italy party. She said the legislation would be presented to the Cabinet soon, but did not provide a date for its consideration.
Classroom limits and Italian-language integration
The proposal would establish a cap on the number of foreign students in a class, although Meloni did not specify what that limit would be. Nor did she explain how the eventual law would define a foreign student for the purpose of applying the ceiling.
“A measure will soon be presented to a Cabinet meeting to legally establish a maximum number of foreign students per class. It also requires parents of foreign students facing serious difficulties integrating into the school system to learn Italian and bans burqas and niqabs in schools,” Meloni said.
Meloni framed the classroom limit as an integration measure, arguing that teachers and classmates can more effectively help a child who does not yet speak Italian when that child is not one of many pupils needing the same level of language support.
“If there is only one child in a class who doesn’t understand Italian, that child will likely be able to learn the language and integrate quickly with the help of classmates and teachers. However, if the number of children who don’t understand the language becomes large – or even the majority – that is no longer integration; it is neglect,” she added.
Foreign citizens account for 11.6% of students enrolled in Italian schools, according to the Fondazione ISMU research institution. That nationwide figure can differ substantially from one school or classroom to another.
What the proposed veil ban would cover
Italy to ban veils in schools would apply to face-covering garments including the burqa and niqab, based on Meloni’s remarks. She said students should attend school with their faces uncovered.
“You must go to school with your face uncovered, and in Italy no one, in the name of a real or supposed tradition, can decide that a young woman must hide herself,” Meloni said.
The measure would place school rules at the center of a broader Italian debate over migration, religious expression, integration and the role of public institutions. Italy’s location in the central Mediterranean has made migration a major political issue across successive governments.
Important practical details remain unresolved. Meloni did not say how schools would handle classrooms that already exceed a future cap, whether every grade level would be covered, or what support would be available for parents expected to learn Italian.
FAQ: Italy’s Proposed School Rules
Has Italy already banned veils in schools?
No. Meloni described a planned measure, not an adopted law. The proposal is expected to be presented to the Cabinet.
Which face coverings are included?
Meloni specifically mentioned burqas and niqabs in discussing the proposed school ban.
Will there be a fixed number of foreign students per class?
The government plans to establish a legal maximum, but Meloni did not announce the number or explain how it would be applied.
Would parents be affected by the proposal?
Meloni said parents of foreign students facing serious difficulties integrating into the school system would be required to learn Italian. Further details have not been announced.
