Italy prepares ban on face veils in schools

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced plans for a draft bill to ban burqas and niqabs in schools, according to the ANSA news agency.

The legislative proposal also includes a cap on the number of foreign students per classroom. Meloni emphasized that the policy aims to preserve educational quality and foster integration, noting that a high share of students lacking Italian language skills complicates classroom learning.

The framework further considers requiring parents of foreign students to learn Italian if families face severe integration challenges. Data from Fondazione ISMU indicates that foreign students represent 11.6% of the school population across Italy.