Italy approves ban on face coverings in schools and 30% language quota
Decree approved on 25 September 2026 bans face coverings in school activities, limits to 30% pupils with poor Italian and requires parents to take language courses.
The Italian government led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni approved a decree on 25 September 2026 that bans face coverings in schools and sets a limit on the share of pupils with insufficient Italian language skills in a single class. "Organizing classes so that they are, let's say, balanced, is a tool that benefits everyone and encourages integration," Meloni said on 25 September 2026 on the public broadcaster RAI. ([rainews.it](https://www.rainews.it/articoli/2026/09/scuola-tetto-per-gli-stranieri-nelle-classi-decreto-legge-cdm-valditara-i-nuovi-arrivi-2026-4d1ae9b6-647c-454d-abed-c558aef1b440.html?utm_source=openai))
Under the decree, from the next school year a maximum of 30 percent of pupils in any class may be children who are considered to have an inadequate knowledge of Italian. The rule mainly targets newly arrived pupils: for first grades the cap applies to pupils who are not Italian citizens, were not born in Italy and have not attended at least two years of Italian nursery school; for upper primary and secondary grades the threshold is measured against having attended at least three years of Italian schooling. ([ansa.it](https://www.ansa.it/amp/sito/notizie/politica/2026/09/23/valditara-la-norma-sul-tetto-agli-stranieri-a-scuola-sara-un-decreto-legge_89aa62bf-9298-49c1-8ad9-e1f9a52e3edf.html?utm_source=openai))
What the measure on face coverings says
The decree also specifies that the face must be recognisable during school activities, which in practice covers garments such as the burqa and niqab. It forbids participating in curricular and extracurricular school activities, and attending school-family meetings, with the face covered except for specific health or safety reasons. The government did not provide an estimate of how many pupils might be affected. ([iltirreno.it](https://www.iltirreno.it/toscana/2026/09/24/news/scuola-la-bozza-del-decreto-le-modalita-del-tetto-per-gli-alunni-stranieri-burqa-e-niqab-multe-fino-a-1000-euro-1.100921759?utm_source=openai))
The measures extend to parents as well: those with serious language barriers will be required to attend free Italian courses if their inability to communicate with the school hinders their children’s education. Failure to comply may bring administrative fines ranging from €200 to €1,000. Schools are to alert child protection services when they detect serious parental language obstacles so social services can offer support. ([ansa.it](https://www.ansa.it/sito/notizie/politica/2026/09/24/scuola-multe-per-il-burqa-e-ai-genitori-che-non-sanno-litaliano.-meloni_39a231c7-1897-4df4-bfd9-a0e0bb8f798b.html?utm_source=openai))
Teachers' unions and education experts have already raised practical objections, calling the decree difficult to apply and accusing the government of political messaging rather than addressing structural problems in schools. The cabinet adopted the text as an urgent decree; ministers said regional school offices will coordinate redistributions and provide derogations where transfers are not feasible. ([rainews.it](https://www.rainews.it/articoli/2026/09/scuola-tetto-per-gli-stranieri-nelle-classi-decreto-legge-cdm-valditara-i-nuovi-arrivi-2026-4d1ae9b6-647c-454d-abed-c558aef1b440.html?utm_source=openai))
The announcement comes ahead of national elections scheduled for 2027. Meloni has led a centre-right coalition government since 2022 and her Fratelli d'Italia party remains ahead in the polls, but a new hard-right formation led by former general Roberto Vannacci, Futuro Nazionale, is pressing for an even tougher immigration line. ([nomad.iallowyoutoseewhatihavefornow.com](https://nomad.iallowyoutoseewhatihavefornow.com/content/wikipedia_en_all_maxi_2025-08/Italy?utm_source=openai))
Photo: press material from the event
