It was signed today, January 9, by the President of the Italian Episcopal Conference, Card. Matteo Zuppi, and by the Minister of Education and Merit, Joseph Vallettara, the Agreement regarding the ordinary competition for the filling of 30 percent of the vacant positions for teaching the Catholic religion, provided for by article 1-bis of law 159/19.
The remaining 70% of the available places will be filled thanks to an extraordinary procedure, reserved for teachers with at least 36 months of service. Overall there are approximately 6.400 teachers.
The Agreement signed today, which fully replaces the one signed on 14 December 2020, recalls that the insolvency procedure "is banned, in compliance with the Revision Agreement of the Lateran Concordat stipulated between the Holy See and the Italian Republic on 18 February 1984, ratified with law 25 March 1985, n. 121 and of the Agreement between the President of the Italian Episcopal Conference and the Minister of Education, University and Research signed on 28 June 2012, which was implemented by decree of the President of the Republic 20 August 2012, n. 175”.
The professional qualification qualifications to participate in the competition are those indicated in point 4 of the Agreement of 28 June 2012, issued by the Faculties and Institutes listed by the decree of the Minister of Education on 24 July 2020 (n. 70). Among the requirements is the certification of diocesan suitability for teaching the Catholic religion "as per article 3, paragraph 4, of law 18 July 2003, n. 186, issued by the Head of the competent diocesan office, in the ninety days prior to the date of submission of the application for participation".
The competition, we read in the text, "is divided into a written and an oral test" and "assesses the candidates' preparation with reference to the subjects and skills indicated by current legislation and the agreements referred to in the introduction. The structure, score and criteria of the competition tests and the evaluation of qualifications are determined by the competition notice, keeping in mind that all candidates already possess diocesan suitability, which is a condition for teaching the Catholic religion" .
By signing the Agreement, Card. Matteo Zuppi, Archbishop of Bologna and President of the CEI, expressed gratitude to the Minister Valditara for "filling a void and for the open and fruitful collaboration that was established in view of this important step". “Beyond the formal act, required by law, this agreement recognizes and reaffirms the value of religious teachers in our schools: trained and passionate educators who enrich the school experience with a unique opportunity for dialogue, cultural in-depth study and interdisciplinary comparison. It is right that they are given greater stability and security."
“The teaching of religion,” he declared Joseph Vallettara, Minister of Education and Merit, “is an opportunity for discussion and dialogue on the ethical and moral principles that have always accompanied civilizations on their journey. It is also an opportunity to go to the roots of our civilization by learning about the Christian message. Exploring these themes means providing students with the tools to learn about some essential aspects of our history. Thanks to motivated and competent teachers it will be possible to create more and more moments of in-depth study and cultural enrichment".
The new competition will be held twenty years after the first, and so far only, procedure announced in February 2004 in implementation of law 186/03, which established the roles for teaching the Catholic religion.
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