Italy school system faces burnout, staffing and curriculum changes

As the 2026/2027 school year begins in Italy, the education sector faces significant challenges regarding staff welfare, employment stability, and curriculum updates.

Teachers are reporting high levels of stress and burnout. Data from the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work indicates that nearly 50% of lower secondary teachers experience work-related stress, with many citing low salaries, bureaucratic burdens, and mental health impacts.

Employment concerns remain acute, particularly regarding job security. While new permanent hires have been made, significant precariousness persists, especially for special education teachers. In some regions, up to 61% of support staff are on temporary contracts, which unions argue disrupts educational continuity for students with disabilities.

Additionally, administrative and curricular changes are being implemented. New guidelines for primary and middle schools emphasize a return to classical studies, Western history, and stricter grammatical rules. For primary school substitute contracts, new regulations require the integration of planning hours into the total teaching load. There is also ongoing debate regarding the implementation of informed consent in sexual education programs.