The Italian government is preparing to introduce restrictions on the use of burqas and niqabs in schools. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced these plans, specifying that the proposal will soon be submitted for consideration by the cabinet of ministers. She emphasized that students attending school must have their faces fully uncovered, and concealing them under the pretext of tradition is unacceptable.
The government's initiatives are not limited to face coverings. A plan is also being considered to set a specific number of foreign children in classes to establish a legal limit for each class. The goal is to ensure the easy integration of children into the local environment and language culture. Furthermore, it is proposed that parents of foreign students be required to study the Italian language if they experience difficulties with learning or understanding the language.
Despite the introduction of these provisions, they have not yet received legislative approval. The exact number of foreign students that will be present in each class remains undetermined. The details of the new rules will only become clear after approval by the cabinet of ministers.
Meloni's argument is that if there is one or two children in a class who do not speak Italian, teachers and other students can assist them. However, if there are too many such children, the process of language learning and social adaptation in school can become difficult. This is why the government is considering limiting the number of such students in each class.
According to data from the ISMU Foundation, cited by Reuters, about 11.6 percent of all schoolchildren in Italy do not hold Italian citizenship.