Rome, Sep 21 (V7N)- Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has announced plans to ban the wearing of burqas and niqabs in schools and introduce a limit on the number of foreign students allowed in classrooms.
Meloni announced the proposed measures on Sunday (September 20) while addressing a youth event organized by her Brothers of Italy party in Rome. She said the package would soon be presented to the Council of Ministers.
The proposed rules would also require parents of foreign students facing what the government describes as serious difficulties integrating into the Italian education system to attend Italian-language classes.
Meloni said people settling in Italy should learn the Italian language, understand the country's culture and respect its laws. She linked the proposed restrictions on face coverings to requirements for students to attend school with their faces visible and to gender equality.
The government has not yet specified the maximum number of foreign students that would be permitted in each classroom. Italy already has a 30% limit on foreign students per class and school under existing rules, although exceptions can apply depending on students' language abilities and other circumstances.
Foreign students who are not Italian citizens account for about 11.6% of enrolment in Italian schools, according to data cited by Reuters.
The proposed legislation would need to go through the Italian government and then receive parliamentary approval before becoming law. Reports say parliamentary approval would be required within 60 days once the measure is formally approved by the government.
The announcement comes ahead of Italy's next general election, with immigration and integration expected to remain important political issues. Meloni's government has maintained a strong focus on migration and integration policies.
Earlier in July, the National Future (FN) party, which is positioned further to the right of Meloni's Brothers of Italy, called for tighter restrictions on burqa use in Italian schools.
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