Italian schools confront teacher shortages, centralisation and INVALSI criticism
A series of analyses spotlight the deep‑rooted problems of Italy’s public school system. 46,826 teaching posts remain vacant nationwide and more than 150,000 substitute teachers are hired each year to patch the gaps, while a uniform national salary of about €1,400 a month is criticised for being out of step with living costs, especially in the north.
Students from immigrant families now make up roughly 11 % of the pupil body, coming from 191 different countries, yet the 2025 national curriculum guidelines contain no explicit references to integration or multicultural education. A coalition of pedagogists has therefore compiled a summary of earlier ministerial documents to help teachers address linguistic and cultural diversity in the classroom.
The education minister has defended the recent INVALSI test results, claiming they confirm the ministry’s approach, a stance that teachers and commentators contest, arguing that the tests should generate questions and improvements rather than simply affirm policy. Critics also point to the system’s over‑reliance on additional demands—more grammar, more mathematics, more projects—without addressing broader educational quality.
Entities: Ernesto Galli della Loggia · INVALSI · Immigrant students in Italy · Italian Ministry of Education · Italian teachers
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] A uniform national salary of about €1,400 per month is criticised for being insufficient in high‑cost regions. (article 9c389399-bfaa-4a5a-a550-c830c84df5b9)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] More than 150,000 substitute teachers are employed annually to fill gaps. (article 9c389399-bfaa-4a5a-a550-c830c84df5b9)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The 2025 national curriculum guidelines do not address integration of immigrant students. (article 920dbb72-3b97-4338-baf2-f8dea0b4d7b1)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] 46,826 teaching positions are vacant across Italy. (article 9c389399-bfaa-4a5a-a550-c830c84df5b9)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Students with immigrant backgrounds constitute about 11 % of Italy’s school population, coming from 191 countries. (article 920dbb72-3b97-4338-baf2-f8dea0b4d7b1)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Teachers argue that repeatedly adding more grammar, syntax and math does not address broader educational needs. (article c34c4637-80ac-4010-babc-661931b22e4f)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] A group of pedagogists compiled a synthesis of previous ministerial documents to guide teachers on linguistic and cultural differences. (article 920dbb72-3b97-4338-baf2-f8dea0b4d7b1)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The education minister claimed INVALSI test results confirm the ministry’s approach. (article c34c4637-80ac-4010-babc-661931b22e4f)