Renzi's govt to hire 150,000 teachers, cut lists, update

(ANSA) - Rome, September 3 - Premier Matteo Renzi's administration intends to hire 150,000 teachers by September 2015, according to guidelines posted on a government website Wednesday. His school plans also intend to make it simplier to hire new teachers and eliminate cumbersome waiting lists that reportedly can last for years, according the website. It says the new plan would also cut substitute teaching. Writing on the website, Renzi said that teachers must be hired on their merits and not merely seniority.
    "We say enough to the precarious (employment) and substitute teaching, we must have the courage," to hire teachers on merit, he said.
    The cost of the plan is estimated at about 3 billion euros in total, with the first phase about 1 billion euros.