Italy plans school limits on foreign students and face coverings

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni says her government will seek legislation that would limit the share of foreign students in classrooms and ban facecovering garments such as burqas and niqabs in schools. Meloni said the measures are meant to support integration, protect Italian culture, and ensure that local children are not placed at a disadvantage in class. She also said parents of students who struggle with Italian could be required to take language lessons. The proposal has not yet been sent to Parliament and would first go to Italy’s Council of Ministers. Religious face coverings other than burqas and niqabs, such as the hijab, would still be allowed under the plan. Italy’s Education Ministry says students without Italian citizenship make up about 11.6% of school enrollment nationwide.