510 EUR/month – would you work for that in Hungary as a university teacher?
The basic salary of an assistant lecturer in Hungary does not reach the 2023 national minimum wage.
ELTE-sek az egyetemi oktatás jövőjéért (Eötvös Loránd University citizens for the future of higher education) is a Facebook group that regularly posts about the unbelievably low salaries in the sector. Yesterday, they shared the wage of a colleague. He is a PhD student at the Doctoral School of Sociology at ELTE, the author or co-author of approximately 30 scientific publications and works full-time at the university. He teaches five courses per semester, holding them in English and Hungarian. Furthermore, he is the supervisor of MA and BA theses in both languages, eduline.hu wrote.
His first 2023 payment was HUF 197,892, which is currently EUR 510. That is lower than the 2023 minimum wage in Hungary. The guaranteed salary for professionals, which is HUF 296 thousand (EUR 763) per month, is more than the salary of a university assistant professor.
Socialists urge ‘democratic change’, better living standards
A “democratic change and better living standards” are needed in Hungary which “cannot be achieved without the Socialist Party,” the co-leader of the opposition party said on Friday at an annual meeting starting the year. The past ten years “were a waste of time”, Ágnes Kunhalmi told a press conference streamed online, citing low wages and high inflation. There will be municipal elections in 2024 which is important, Kunhalmi said, calling for talks on cooperation among opposition parties and civil groups.
She also noted that EP elections will also be held next year, saying that “there is no life for Hungary outside the EU”. Imre Komjáthi, the party’s other co-leader, said his party would offer Hungarians security because “Hungarians suffer most from the lack of it”. “We want a social Europe where the primary aim is to create opportunities rather than serving multinational capital,” he said. “And striving for peace is for us not an empty slogan, but the only correct answer to dangers. One who launches a war puts everybody’s security at risk.”
Komjáthi pledged to ensure stable financing to national health care based on proportionate tax levies. Among other measures, he pledged to reduce the VAT on basic foodstuffs to zero percent, increase pensions across the board and offer pensioners a one-off payment of 205,000 forints (EUR 532). Among measures to help entrepreneurs in planning their businesses ahead, Komjáthi pledged to keep tax laws unchanged over a period of time.
Read also Trend change: salaries are higher even in Romania than in Hungary
Source: MTI, eduline.hu
It’s an absolute shame. 🙁 A crying shame. 🙁
Perhaps it’s time that these uni lecturers, and teachers in general, considered voting with their feet and move to a country where they are paid what their knowledge and expertise is worth. For those who are fluent in English, try the UK for starters, and/or the Gulf States.
No money for teachers, lots for weapons. Where is our priority, our children? Calling Miss “Family Values” President, come right away!
Laughable.
But then again, we ALL know, driven by FACT, that over the near 13 years, this Victor Orban Government have been in Power, that investment from this Government into EDUCATION has been Neglected & Abused.
It continues, and the mounting catastrophe is that through the HORRENDOUS worsening Financial & Economic position of Hungary, the billions of forints NOW needed to bring the entire Education system in Hungary up into the 21st century from its present 19th century functionality, the funding INVESTMENT from this Orban Government – is just NOT going to HAPPEN.
This will GROW on its IMPACT on Educators, Students and Family’s – that we will witness on-going destruction and people movement, leaving Hungary, through the 13 years of ABUSE practiced by this Orban Government.
How do we rebuild the castle district for King Viktor and the Városliget for wealthy tourists if we pay teachers and common Hungarians a decent wage? It’s is disgusting. Hungary is run by 19th century thinking oligarchs.
Months back the Mr Orban said the average wage was approaching 400,000ft and I said this was a lie.Now we have proof when highly educated people are paid this pittance. I know of teachers and others earning less than 250.000…this shameful rate of pay needs to be addressed and government propoganda needs to be challenged.My advice to young people is to emigrate to countries paying a decent wage.