The Minister of Education and Merit, Giuseppe Valditara, officially announced via his social media channels the signing of a decree authorizing the hiring of over 54.000 teachers for the 2025/2026 school year. This measure aims to ensure greater educational continuity and job stability in Italian schools, addressing one of the national education system's long-standing critical issues: the shortage of permanent staff.
What the decree says
According to the post, 48.504 new positions will be assigned to state teachers at all levels. Of these, 13.860 positions will be assigned to support staff, a key role in supporting students with disabilities or special educational needs. A subsequent decree will also regulate the hiring of 6.022 Catholic religion teachers, following a competitive exam announced in 2024. This is a historic achievement, considering the last tenured religion teacher appointments were made in 2004.
What are the objectives of the operation?
The Minister clarified the purposes of this major hiring:
- Ensure greater educational continuity for students by reducing the annual turnover of temporary teachers.
- Offer teachers greater job stability, combating the phenomenon of precarious employment in schools, which has characterized the sector for years.
- Pay particular attention to support, a delicate and crucial area for the school inclusion of the most vulnerable students.
- To achieve the most significant hiring of religion teachers in recent years, filling a structural gap that has persisted for decades.
Why is this a “record number” of entries?
According to the minister, the overall number of over 54 hires represents a record number compared to recent years. In recent decades, the Italian school system has experienced cycles of competitive exams and tenure-track appointments at irregular intervals and often with limited numbers. This decree therefore aims to bring about a structural shift in the management of school staffing.
One of the most significant parts of the measure concerns Catholic religion teachers: 6.022 new hires will be made following the 2024 competitive exam, ending a twenty-year wait. This move, according to Valditara, will consolidate the teaching offering in this specific area and ensure greater educational continuity for students.
This is a long-awaited measure that represents a significant turning point in the management of school staff and the organization of the 2025/2026 school year.
