Urdu Report Desk
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has announced plans to introduce legislation banning burqas and niqabs in schools, limiting the number of foreign students in each class and requiring some parents of foreign students to learn Italian.
The proposals are part of the government’s broader focus on immigration, integration and cultural policies.
Plans to Go Before Cabinet
Meloni announced the measures on September 20, 2026, while addressing the annual Fenix event organized by the youth wing of her Brothers of Italy party in Rome.
She said the measures would soon be presented to the Cabinet. Under the proposal, a legal limit would be established on the number of foreign students allowed in each class, although Meloni did not specify the proposed limit.
Proposed Ban on Burqas and Niqabs
Meloni said students should attend school with their faces uncovered and argued that young women should not be forced to conceal their faces on the basis of real or alleged traditions.
She described equality between men and women as a non-negotiable principle in Italian society and schools. The proposed measure specifically concerns full-face coverings such as burqas and niqabs.
Limits on Foreign Students
Meloni argued that when a class has a single child who does not understand Italian, classmates and teachers can help the student learn the language and integrate into the school environment.
However, she said integration becomes more difficult when the number of students who do not understand Italian becomes too large or represents a majority of the class. She also said Italian children should not feel like a minority in their own classrooms.
Italian Lessons for Some Parents
The proposed measures would also require some parents of foreign students to learn Italian when their children face serious difficulties integrating into the school system.
According to the announcement, the language requirement would apply specifically to parents in such circumstances.
Foreign Students Account for 11.6 Percent
According to media reports, students who are not Italian citizens account for 11.6 percent of Italy’s school population. The figure, cited from research institute Fondazione ISMU, means roughly 12 out of every 100 students do not hold Italian citizenship.
Proposals Still Need to Become Law
Meloni’s announcement concerns proposed government measures and does not mean the policies are already in force. The proposals will first be presented to the Cabinet and would then have to go through the legislative process.
The final limit on foreign students, the scope of the proposed restrictions on face coverings and other details will depend on the subsequent legal process.
