Italy approves decree banning face coverings in schools

The Italian Council of Ministers has approved a decree-law regarding education that prohibits students from participating in school or extracurricular activities with their faces covered. While the official text does not explicitly name specific garments, the government has presented the measure as a ban on the niqab and burqa to ensure individuals can be identified. The hijab, which covers the hair but leaves the face visible, is exempt from this restriction.

In addition to the face-covering ban, the decree introduces measures to promote integration, including setting a maximum number of non-Italian speaking students per class. Parents of children facing significant integration difficulties may also be required to ensure their children learn Italian. Violations of the face-covering rule are subject to fines ranging from €200 to €1,000, which will be charged to parents or guardians in the case of minors.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni defended the initiative, stating that schools must be common spaces where education and integration can flourish. Academic experts have noted that the use of the niqab is a minority practice within Italy's Muslim communities, suggesting that the scale of the issue may be smaller than the political discourse implies.