OECD: 'Teachers' pay up in Italy. Teacher profession central, but unattractive'

It is not true that Italian teachers, as is generally said, earn less than their European colleagues: the latest OECD Talis report, disseminated by Invalsi, emphasises in fact that thanks to the increases decided by the last contract closed by Minister Valditara and signed with the current government, teachers enjoy, especially at the start of their careers, a decisive increase in purchasing power. Italy, in fact, with an annual salary of EUR 28,113, ranks fourth behind Austria, Spain and Sweden and ahead of France, Finland and Portugal. A situation, that of Italian teachers, which improves further after the first fifteen years of their career: their purchasing power, at 37,139 euro per year, places them, in fact, at the bottom of the podium. Prospects, however, worsen as they approach retirement: purchasing power stands, in fact, at €43,407 against €42,274 in France, €48,876 in Spain, €55,497 in Portugal and €60,947 in Austria.

One of the factors that do not motivate young Italians to approach the teaching profession - according to the study - is the perception of low appreciation by society. Another strong reason for demotivation is stress. A condition that is particularly accentuated in Italy due to the commitment required by classroom activity, but also by bureaucratic commitments and slow career progression. What emerges, in general, from the report is that the European teaching class is predominantly made up of older women. And that the gender imbalance is due to the persistence of the stereotype linking women to care work.