Requirements for teachers

In 2021, a public consultation on preparatory actions and on the definition of new rules and criteria for the recruitment of teachers, including VET teachers, began.

In June 2022, Law 79 introduced- among other measures- a reform in initial teacher, including VET teachers, training. The law regulates the process of initial training, required qualification(s), and access to the profession of teacher in secondary schools.

On 16 August 2022, the Decree No 226 issued by the education minister regulates the training and trial process of teaching and educational staff. It also regulates the procedures for the final test and the procedures and evaluation criteria for the teaching staff during the trial period.

The Prime Minister's Decree of August 4, 2023 was issued, as a result of Law n. 79/2022, which authorises the activation of university and academic qualifying training pathways in implementation of articles 2-bis and 2-ter, article 13 and article 18-bis of Legislative Decree n. 59 of April 13, 2017, and specifically regulates criteria and content of training offerings. The decree defines the training pathways for the initial preparation of secondary school teachers, including master's degree programmes, postgraduate courses, active training internships (TFA), and continuous professional development courses. These programmes aim to provide a strong theoretical and practical foundation, advanced skills and ongoing professional updates, ensuring that teachers' education aligns with the needs of the educational system and international best practices. It also establishes a structured and comprehensive training framework to facilitate the path to becoming a permanent teacher.

The competition for Catholic religion teachers was announced with Ministerial Decree no. 9 of 19 January 2024. The competition is on a regional basis and covers 2 336 positions for secondary schools and 2 164 for nursery and primary schools. It is a competition based on exams and qualifications and allows access to regional roles divided into territorial areas corresponding to the dioceses.

The public competitions for teachers’ recruitment proclaimed by Ministerial Decrees no. 205 and 206 of 26 October 2023 - were launched to implement the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) and are nearing completion. These competitions aim to recruit 70 000 teachers to achieve the educational objectives of the NRRP by addressing the teacher shortage and improving the quality of education in Italy, in line with the objectives of the NRRP.

In this context, the competition for physical education teachers in primary schools, that was announced with Directorial Decree no. 1330 of 4 August 2023, has been completed with the recruitment of 1 740 teachers.

In December 2024, competitions were launched for the recruitment of kindergarten and primary school teachers and secondary school teachers for the coverage – respectively – of a total of 8 355 and 10 677 common and support posts, in implementation of Decree-Law no. 36/2022 and Ministerial Decrees no. 205/2024 and Ministerial Decree 206/2024. The tests included: the assessment of disciplinary and teaching skills; the verification of knowledge of the English language (at least level B2); the assessment of digital skills and the attitude to inclusive teaching.

For the 2024/2025 academic year, recruitment mechanisms provided for the use of two ranking systems. These are the rankings based solely on qualifications (Exhaustion Rankings – GAE) and rankings based on qualifications and competitive examinations (Merit Rankings – GM). The rankings were drawn from previous recruitment procedures and from competitions announced for 2025.

The use of multiple recruitment channels is linked to a regulatory framework that combines transitional arrangements with more recent reforms. Decree Law No 36/2022 and Decree Law No 75/2023, together with implementing decrees adopted between 2023 and 2024, define a medium to long-term pathway for access to the teaching profession. The reforms provide for the integration of academic training, internships and competitive selection procedures. The implementation of these measures requires adequate timelines and coordination between universities, schools and the central administration. The recruitment reforms contribute to the objectives of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), which includes the reduction of precarious employment and the structural reform of teacher recruitment among its priorities.

Recruitment procedures under NRRP 3 were launched for pre-primary and primary education and for secondary education. A total of 58 135 positions were made available, including 30 759 positions in secondary education and 27 376 positions in pre-primary and primary education. The NRRP 3 recruitment procedure is provisional and covers the three-year period 2024/2025 to 2026/2027. The number of positions reflects both existing vacancies and those projected for the coming years, rather than being limited to posts remaining unfilled from previous recruitment rounds. Existing merit rankings and exhaustion rankings continue to be used as a priority until they are fully exhausted. At the same time, the NRRP 3 recruitment procedure aims to anticipate future staffing needs and support continuity in teacher recruitment over the medium term.

The competition procedure is organised on a regional basis and consists of a written test and an oral test. The computer-based written test includes 50 multiple-choice questions to be completed within 100 minutes. It assesses candidates’ knowledge and competences in the pedagogical, psycho-pedagogical and didactic-methodological fields, as well as their knowledge of the English language and digital skills. A single written test applies to all competition classes and types of posts for which the candidate applies. The oral test assesses subject-specific knowledge, general teaching competences and teaching design skills, including the pedagogical use of digital technologies. The oral examination also includes a practical teaching test consisting of a simulated lesson.

For the teaching of Catholic religion, an ordinary national competition organised on a regional basis was launched for the 2024/2025 school year to fill vacancies in pre-primary, primary and secondary education. The selection procedure included a written test covering theological and pedagogical disciplines and an oral test assessing teaching, methodological and relational competences. Access to the competition requires eligibility issued by the diocesan Ordinary, which remains a necessary condition both for permanent appointments and for substitute teaching.

The recruitment of teachers of Catholic religion forms part of the broader framework of stabilisation measures linked to the NRRP but follows a specific regulatory arrangement. This reflects the particular status of the subject, which is delivered within the state school system while being regulated through a bilateral agreement between the State and the Italian Bishops’ Conference.