Italy to ban burqa in schools, limit foreign pupils
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government has passed new school rules capping the number of students who don't speak fluent Italian and banning face coverings.
Italy's conservative government has approved a decree that bans face-covering Islamic veils, including burqas and niqabs, in schools. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni explained that these measures are "tools of common sense" aimed at promoting integration and avoiding the creation of "ghetto classes." The decree will also limit the number of students with poor command of Italian in each classroom to prevent isolation of foreign pupils.
Italian Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara stated that the decree would affect around 1,000 classrooms, which accounts for 0.3% of all classrooms in the country. Currently, foreign students make up 11.2% of Italy's school population, with classes having over 30% foreign students making up 7.6% of the total. Critics, including opposition parties and child rights organizations, have denounced the move, accusing the government of turning immigration into a political issue ahead of the upcoming general election. Some have called it a "witch hunt," while others argue it risks creating discriminatory effects.
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