by Nastassja Martin
Interviews: Maurizio De Blasio, Trieste City Councilor for Education and Family Policies; Stefano Avian, Trieste City Councilor for Human Resources
The City of Trieste has expanded staffing across its municipal education and school services for the 2026-27 academic year, adding temporary positions intended to provide greater continuity for children, families and employees.
Maurizio De Blasio, the city councilor responsible for education and family policies, and Stefano Avian, who oversees human resources, presented the staffing plan on Tuesday, describing it as part of a broader effort to address recruitment challenges while maintaining municipal services.
The plan includes temporary contracts covering the school year through June 2027. City officials said the longer contracts are intended to reduce disruptions and provide greater continuity in educational programs.
At the city’s Ricreatori, after-school and recreational facilities, 76 full-time employees have been added, compared with 49 in previous years. Municipal nurseries have added 60 educators, while preschools have hired 73 teachers, including 51 working in support roles.
The city has also contracted 25 teachers to cover medium- and long-term absences at the Ricreatori.
De Blasio said the measures were designed to balance the availability of services with their long-term financial sustainability, working conditions for employees and the changing needs of families.
“We have put in place a broad-based effort that allows us to take a longer-term approach,” De Blasio said. “Our commitment is constantly focused on finding a balance between guaranteeing services, their sustainability over time, protecting staff so they can work effectively in the facilities, and meeting the changing needs of families.”
Avian emphasized that the staffing figures represented an investment in maintaining continuity in the city’s services.
“These are significant numbers because behind them are people,” he said. “The primary objective is to provide certainty and continuity, offering reassurance both to employees and families.”
The staffing expansion comes as the municipality continues to face difficulties in recruiting substitute personnel. City officials said changes in the qualifications and requirements for some positions have contributed to the challenge.
The issue is particularly relevant in schools and educational facilities where Slovenian is the language of instruction, where finding candidates who meet the necessary requirements can be more difficult.
The city said it was continuing to seek qualified candidates for its employment lists and that recruitment for Slovenian-language positions remained a priority.
The new staffing measures follow the conclusion of the city’s summer programs and the start of the 2026-27 school year, with officials presenting the plan as part of an effort to address staffing gaps while maintaining the continuity of municipal educational services.
