Italy ministers agree to ban burqa and niqab in school and cap foreigners in class

The Italian government has agreed to ban the burqa and niqab in schools, as well as impose a cap on the number of pupils with limited knowledge of Italian in any one class. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the measures as common-sense tools that promote integration, while opposition parties accuse the government of pandering to the policies of the hard-right Futuro Nazionale party ahead of an upcoming general election.

The ban on the burqa and niqab applies to the burqa and niqab, but not the hijab, and will be enforced in all stages of education. The 30% limit on pupils without Italian citizenship or poor knowledge of the language will be applied differently depending on the stage of education, with the aim of avoiding "ghetto classes" and ensuring equal distribution of pupils with language barriers among nearby schools.

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