Italy Approves School Veil Ban and 30% Cap on Pupils With Limited Italian

Italy’s government approved a decree Thursday banning face-covering veils in schools and limiting the concentration of pupils with limited Italian proficiency in individual classrooms.

The ban applies to burqas and niqabs, which conceal the face, but not to hijabs that leave the face visible. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the measures “common-sense tools” intended to support integration, while Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara said the classroom limit was based on language ability rather than citizenship.

Under the decree, pupils covered by the cap may make up no more than 30% of a class. In primary schools, it applies to non-Italian citizens who were not born in Italy or did not attend at least two years of nursery school. In secondary schools, it covers non-citizens who have not completed at least three years in Italy’s school system. Local education authorities will distribute affected pupils among nearby schools; exemptions and additional Italian-language support will be available where redistribution is not feasible.

Valditara said the cap, due to apply from the 2027-28 school year, would affect about 1,000 classrooms, or 0.3% of the national total. Schools may also refer parents to social services when persistent language barriers impede a child’s integration, with free Italian courses offered.

The decree can take effect immediately but requires parliamentary approval within 60 days. Opposition parties, teachers’ unions and rights groups criticised the policy as discriminatory and politically motivated ahead of next year’s election, while school leaders questioned its practicality in areas with large migrant populations.