Tuesday, September 22, 2026 - Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has announced plans to introduce legislation banning face-covering garments such as the burqa and niqab in schools and placing a legal limit on the number of foreign students in individual classrooms.
Meloni made the announcement on September 20 at an event organized by the youth wing of her Brothers of Italy party in Rome, saying the measures are intended to strengthen integration and ensure students can participate effectively in the Italian education system. The government has not yet specified the exact limit for foreign students.
The proposed package would also require parents of foreign students experiencing serious difficulties integrating into the school system to learn Italian. Students without Italian citizenship currently account for about 11.6% of school enrolment nationwide, according to data cited by the ISMU Foundation.
Meloni specifically referred to burqas and niqabs, rather than the hijab, and said students should attend school with their faces uncovered. The proposals would need approval from the Italian government and Parliament before becoming law.
The proposals have already triggered debate in Italy, with education officials and opposition politicians questioning how a foreign-student cap could work in practice, particularly in areas where schools serve communities with large immigrant populations.
Italy already has rules concerning the proportion of foreign pupils in classrooms, while critics argue that schools face broader challenges including overcrowding, teacher shortages and inadequate facilities. The government is now expected to bring the measures before the Council of Ministers as debate intensifies over migration, integration and education.
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