Rome, Italy – Italy’s government passed a decree on Thursday to place an upper limit on the number of students in each school classroom who have only limited Italian language skills and to ban face-covering Islamic veils in schools. Premier Giorgia Meloni’s conservative government said the package is aimed at strengthening integration through language learning and has drawn support from right-wing allies. Opponents, including some educators, unions, and opposition parties, warn that the new rules could force students to attend schools far from their neighbourhoods, while critics accuse the government of turning immigration into a political issue.
Under the plan, a limit of 30% of foreign students lacking sufficient Italian proficiency would be allowed in any individual classroom. The government decree goes into effect immediately but needs to be endorsed within 60 days in parliament, where Meloni’s coalition commands a majority. Meloni wrote on social media that the measures are “common-sense measures that do not divide but help foster genuine integration, avoiding ghetto classrooms and giving all students equal opportunities.” The decree comes as Meloni faces mounting pressure on her right flank from a new hard-line challenger, retired army Gen. Roberto Vannacci, who has been seeking to capitalise on voter concerns over immigration and national identity.
Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara said local school authorities will coordinate student placements to avoid concentrations of non-Italian-speaking pupils, while schools unable to comply would be eligible for exemptions and additional language-support funding. He said the measure would affect around 1,000 classrooms, about 0.3% of the total nationwide. School principals questioned how the measure could work in areas with large migrant populations. “From an educational perspective, the issue is well-founded and valid, but it’s difficult to turn it into a practical solution,” said Antonello Giannelli, president of the National Association of Principals.
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Teachers’ unions criticised what they called a lack of both consultation and resources for the measure, arguing that the government’s €14-million funding package would not be enough to hire specialised language teachers and cultural mediators. The decree also bans burqas and niqabs in schools while continuing to allow hijabs. Critics said the provision addresses a phenomenon rarely seen in Italian classrooms, arguing that it risks becoming a symbolic political issue rather than an educational one. The decree also provides additional teaching resources for schools where newly arrived foreign students exceed 20% of enrolment, and requires some parents of foreign students to attend Italian-language courses, with fines ranging from €200 to €1,000 for non-attendance.
