Meloni announces new rules for foreign students and burqa ban in schools.

The Meloni government is preparing a regulatory intervention on the presence of foreign students in Italian schools. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced today, September 20, 2026, during the Fenix rally of National Youth in Rome, that she will bring a measure dedicated to school integration to the Council of Ministers.

Among the anticipated measures are the legal introduction of a maximum number of foreign students per class, the obligation for parents of foreign students with serious integration issues to learn Italian, and a ban on burqas and niqabs in educational institutions. Meloni linked this last measure both to the necessity of presenting oneself at school with a recognizable face and to the principle of equality between men and women.

Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara had already hinted on September 11 at the intention to intervene legislatively, emphasizing how the current 30% limit established by a 2010 circular has remained largely unenforced. The final text of the measure is not yet known and will need to clarify the percentages, criteria, and exact scope of the new provisions.

The debate on the composition of classes with foreign students is not new in the Italian school system. Already in 2010, with Ministerial Circular No. 2, a general criterion was established for the distribution of students without Italian citizenship, which normally aimed to avoid their presence exceeding 30% in each class. However, this guideline included specific exceptions and, according to Minister Valditara, has largely remained unenforced.

Today's announcement therefore represents an attempt to transform that administrative guideline into a more binding legal norm. The measure is part of a broader framework of integration policies, which already include dedicated pathways for learning Italian and educational support activities for schools with high percentages of foreign students lacking basic language skills.

The issue of the full-face veil in schools, on the other hand, touches on themes of identification security and gender equality principles. It is important to distinguish between the burqa and niqab, which cover the face entirely, and the hijab, which generally leaves it uncovered. The exact scope of the ban will depend on the final legislative text, which will also need to balance with the existing legal framework regarding religious and expressive freedoms.