GPS Assistance Assumptions: First-tier Support Likely to be Extended – What Changes and Deadline

Bright Future for Specialized Support Teachers: Extension of Job Opportunities

Good news for temporary school workers: hiring from the first band of Gps support positions will likely be extended to include new specialized candidates.
An amendment to decree no.
19 of March 2, 2024, currently in the conversion phase (also known as decree Pnrr 4), was presented to the V Budget, Treasury, and Planning Commission of the Chamber.

Implications of the Extension for Gps Support First Band Hires

The amendment, extending the former article 59 for the hiring from the first band of Gps support teachers who have specialized at the end of a Tfa cycle, was inserted during the session on April 9.
According to reports from unions, it is said to have been approved.

Already yesterday, unions and specialized support teachers who have been protesting for months for an extension of the 2024 Gps support first band hires were celebrating the inclusion of the extension in the conversion decree.
If the amendment is indeed finally approved with the text of decree Pnrr 4 in the Official Gazette, it will be a significant victory for specialized support temporary workers.
But let’s see what we know so far, what changes with the approval of the amendment for the first band Gps support hires, and how long the rule will remain in force.

The amendment 14.46 included in the text of decree Pnrr 4 in the conversion phase provides for hiring from the first band of Gps support positions subordinate to the rankings of competitions, including those that will be formed at the end of ongoing competition procedures.

The text is said to have been approved according to union reports.
Uil Scuola Rua writes in a statement today:

“We welcome the approval of an amendment to the PNRR Decree currently being converted, which provides for the extension of hires from the first band Gps support positions at the end of ordinary hires from the exhaustion rankings and from those of competitions.”

Flc Cgil and Anief also claim victory, and whether definitively approved or not, the amendment comes from the efforts of the unions, but also and above all from the joint efforts of those specialized in support who have been mobilizing since the former article 59 was not included in the Milleproroghe decree.

After two months of battles, a glimmer of light is beginning to shine.
But what changes with the first band Gps support hires? The possibility of hiring specialized support teachers with permanent positions after the probation year is confirmed.
According to the amendment, recruitment from the first Gps band for substitutes can only take place “in case of exhaustion of the rankings of competitions for teaching staff advertised under article 59, paragraph 10, of decree-law no.
73 of May 25, 2021, converted, with amendments, by law no.
106 of July 23, 2021.”

Hires from the first band of Gps support are extended until December 31, 2025, and therefore should cover the next two school years.

The fast track hiring process is also expected to remain for support teacher hires if vacant positions remain at the end of the first Gps band rankings in a province.
Therefore, what happened last year could happen again.

The text of the amendment inserted in the conversion decree indeed establishes that the provisions “of paragraphs 5 to 12 of article 5 of decree-law April 22, 2023, no.
44, converted, with amendments, of law June 21, 2023, no.
74.” are confirmed.

Paragraph 12 establishes that “if further support vacancies remain available following the ranking of paragraph 5, the provisions from paragraphs 17-bis to 17-septies of article 1 of decree-law October 29, 2019, no.
126, converted, with amendments, by law December 20, 2019, no.
159,” apply to teachers from the same paragraph 5.

This refers to the fast track process and the fact that the specialized teacher can work in another province where support positions are available.

Despite this good news, and aware that the parliamentary process of decree Pnrr 4 is still ongoing, specialized support workers do not stop their efforts and, as seen on their social media pages, they demand the strengthening of the legal staff on support positions to 60,000 teaching posts.