Italy bans burqa and niqab in schools, caps foreign students at 30 percent

Italy's cabinet has adopted a decree-law banning face coverings in schools and limiting non-Italian-speaking pupils to 30 percent per classroom.

• Meloni's cabinet on Thursday adopted a decree-law banning burqas and niqabs in schools and imposing a 30-percent cap on pupils with limited Italian from next year.
• Breaches carry fines of up to 1,000 euros ($1,140), and the decree takes effect immediately pending parliamentary ratification within 60 days.
• Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara said the measure will affect about 1,000 classrooms, roughly 0.3 percent of the national total.
• Opposition leader Elly Schlein called the decree "shameful" propaganda, accusing the government of hiding its inability to address public school problems.