Italy Approves 30% Foreign Student Cap and Burqa Niqab Ban in Schools

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Italy’s government has approved a decree introducing a 30% limit on certain foreign students in school classes while banning burqas and niqabs in Italian schools, in a major education policy move by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government.

The Council of Ministers approved the decree on September 24, with the government saying the measures are intended to strengthen integration, improve Italian language skills and prevent the formation of segregated classrooms.

Under the new rules, students without Italian citizenship who do not have an adequate command of Italian and meet specified educational criteria will generally be limited to 30% of a class.

The measure does not apply indiscriminately to every foreign-born student. In primary schools, the criteria focus on pupils who were not born in Italy or who have not attended at least two years of preschool. In secondary schools, it applies to students who have not successfully completed at least three years of schooling.

Italian Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara said around 34,000 classes currently have a foreign student population exceeding 30%.

The government has also introduced provisions allowing exemptions in certain circumstances, including family and residential considerations. Schools that cannot meet the threshold will have access to additional funding for Italian language support. (ANSA.it)

Burqa and niqab banned in schools

The decree also prohibits students from wearing the burqa or niqab at school.

Those who breach the face covering rules can face fines ranging from €200 to €1,000, according to the measures approved by Cabinet. Where the person wearing the covering is a minor, the penalty can apply to their parents.

The rules also cover face coverings such as surgical masks when there is no medical reason for wearing one.

The government says the measure is designed to ensure that students’ faces remain identifiable within schools.

Italian language requirements for parents

The decree places a stronger emphasis on Italian language learning for families where a child’s lack of Italian is considered to be seriously affecting their integration and school performance.

Parents can be required to attend a free Italian language course, with fines of between €200 and €1,000 applying if the required course is not completed.

An earlier draft reportedly contained a provision concerning the removal of children from parents who failed to learn Italian. Education Minister Valditara said that provision was not part of the final measure and attributed the earlier version to opposition circulation of a draft.

Meloni: “A school that integrates without abandoning rules”

Meloni defended the measures after the Cabinet meeting, saying the government wants a school system that promotes integration while maintaining clear rules.

She said the 30% limit, greater access to Italian language education and the ban on burqas and niqabs were intended to prevent what she described as “ghetto classrooms” and give students equal opportunities.

The policy has nevertheless sparked political controversy.

Italian President Sergio Mattarella has stressed the role of schools in integration and social cohesion, saying schools should help prevent the creation of ghettos and barriers and remain open to everyone.

Opposition Democratic Party leader Elly Schlein criticised the decree, arguing that the government’s focus should instead be on issues including school infrastructure, teacher salaries and broader investment in public education.

The decree therefore marks a significant shift in Italy’s approach to language integration and religious symbols in schools, while its implementation is likely to remain the subject of political and public debate.

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