Teachers to hold nationwide demo on in mid-February

Budapest, February 1 (MTI) – Teachers are preparing to hold a nationwide demonstration on Feb. 13 with a number of demands for better conditions in the sector, a union head said on Monday.

The chairwoman of teacher trade union (PSZ), Piroska Galló, told a press conference that the strike committee had formulated 25 demands, including a drastic reduction in the curriculum and the number of compulsory classroom hours.

The teachers also want the rule that pupils must stay in school until 4pm to be abolished.

Gallo said the career model which links experience to pay levels was “bankrupt”, adding that it was “unacceptable” that a teacher may earn the same as another who works fewer hours. Also, teachers want to regain the freedom to choose their own teaching material.

She said the strike committee held informal talks with Zoltán Balog, the minister of human resources, on Friday. He made clear that the government is not inclined to accede to their demands, she said, adding that it is at this point they decided to hold the demonstration.

The heads of other teacher unions also addressed the press conference, citing problems in the area of vocational training.

Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters