Trentino Education Councilor Pushes Ahead with Principal Competition Amid Appeals

Trentino's provincial education councilor, Francesca Gerosa, is pushing forward with a competitive process for school principals, dismissing calls for suspension. Despite 19 appeals and criticisms regarding the training course's scheduling conflicts with school duties, Gerosa asserts that the procedure is sound. She responded to an inquiry, stating that the 35 admitted candidates did not disrupt the end of the school year. Gerosa also defended the competition's structure, including multiple sessions, against claims of procedural anomalies and unequal treatment, maintaining that impartiality was upheld.

Meanwhile, Filippo Degasperi of the Onda party has voiced strong criticism regarding the latest INVALSI test results, describing the situation for schools in Trentino as "disastrous." He highlighted a sharp increase in students failing to comprehend Italian texts and perform basic math, with figures nearly doubling since 2019. Degasperi attributes this decline to factors such as excessive bureaucracy for teachers, the overemphasis on "competencies" over "knowledge," and the guaranteed promotion policy.

Degasperi argues that the focus on "training success" as a right to promotion, coupled with wasted time on work-study programs and an obsession with professionalization, has undermined educational quality. He suggests a return to fundamental principles is necessary to reverse this trend, though the article cuts off before detailing his proposed solutions.