Unacceptable! Most Hungarian teachers live in poverty
Teachers in Hungary are likely to strike, and many of them expressed that they have a problem making ends meet.
In a previous article, Daily News Hungary wrote that the pay gap between foreign guest teachers and Hungarian teachers at the university level was tremendous.
Foreign guest teachers can get as much as 10,000 euros as a stipend at Mathias Corvinus Collegium, while younger educators under the age of 35 may get 5,000 euros. Free travel, health insurance, visa, accommodation, an office, participation at conferences abroad, and some money to spend are included in the stipend. For comparison, it is worth mentioning that Urkom Aleksander, an assistant professor at ELTE, disclosed the information that in Hungary, an assistant teacher with a PhD and obligations to do research and have publications earns as little as 542 euros a month at a university.
“I had to ask myself, why are most of my colleagues in a bad mood? Why are there any drop-outs at all when this [teaching] is already such a ‘glorified’ profession? And why does an assistant professor in Hungary have to take on 3 part-time jobs to be able to make a living at all? Do you think this is the shame of university lecturers or the shame of the country? University education should finally be appreciated!” – he wrote in a Facebook post.
But the stark reality is weighing on educators even more, as 97.4% expressed they have issues with making a living. Teachers’ salaries are low, and educators lose considerable amounts of money, 3-5 million forints (EUR 8,630 − 14,383) per year individually because their wage is set taking into account the minimum wage of the year 2014. Many teachers have a decent living only because their spouse or partner makes more money.
Read alsoUnacceptable! Most Hungarian teachers live in poverty
According to the research done by PDSZ, 3.6% is completely satisfied with the wage, 8.5% is rather satisfied with the wage, but 45.2% is completely unsatisfied, referenced portfolio.hu.
Due to the low pay, teaching is not an attractive career, and a shortage of educators willing to take these jobs is going to have a very serious negative impact on education in Hungary. There will not be enough teachers and too many unfilled empty positions in the field.
Someone in the survey wrote in her answer that her husband thinks that a teaching job is a “costly but beautiful hobby”, and other responses show that many teachers do not have the finances to sustain a healthy diet.
40% of respondents chose number 7 (completely true) about the statement that “I have difficulty managing the costs of a healthy diet.” In comparison, only 1.8%, 44 respondents, marked number 1. 54% of those who have children said that it was difficult to manage the finances of raising a child, completely agreeing with the statement, while 86.9% indicated that this statement was rather true.
Read alsoHungarians’ obesity is getting worse?
Source: portfolio.hu, Daily News Hungary
Horrendous – if we dismiss sections parts of this article that are over exagerated capturing emotional impact issues – the vastness in reading this article – what it is saying – is FACT.
Teaching – being an Educator is a Vocation.
Governments – if they FAIL – in there Investments & Interest – Commitment to and into Education – they FAIL.
Hungary – the present number of teachers/educators that we are experiencing then – Future – impending teacher/educators shortage – is the most critical Education issue we will face – in the next Decade.
Governments – fail dismally in there inability to calculate – to see and ACCEPT the – WORTH – the – Assets to a country – the roles – that Teachers/Educators – play – in the Future – of there Country.
Hungary – this “festering” has been growing, spreading and biting – into our Teachers/Educators – DNA’s – for at least – at least – the last decade.
It has claimed to many talented gifted Teachers/Educators – who in great numbers saw there roles as a lifetime – Vocation – but could – no longer work within a system – that did not Financially reward them – FAIRLY – for the Responsibilities – that come – in Teaching/Educator positions.
Education – is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learnt at school.
To often we oversight forget, that the gifts and talents – we all have, not always come from good grades at school – but our Education – prepares us – to look at life – things happening in our lives and the World – and to Learn.
What is the Purpose of Education ?
It teaches US to Think – and Turn Mirrors into Windows – creating opportunities for ALL – in Life.
Governments who continue to – FAIL – being – COMMITTED – to Education and those – Teachers/Educators – and “all” – the intricate “needs” – that are part of EDUCATION – that make up – support and contribute – to a – VISIONARY – Education Platform – not just in present time – BUT – into the FUTURE.
This novel Coronavirus – ongoing – has CHANGED – the World.
Historical and Traditional ways of Education – have been FORCED to change and will continue to CHANGE – through the ongoing layers still in Education and Life – that through this novel virus – will need re-shaping or re-modelling, to balance – blend into – the Changed World – ways of EDUCATION – through the ongoing presence of this novel virus.
Education is a Vocation – but if you pay peanuts as a saying expresses – you get monkeys ///
Hungary – we go to a National Election in May 2022.
Education – should be a MAJOR point – to which Party gets our VOTE.
Government – investment – CORRECTLY – through – open dialogue- with those of Eminency or Professionals in there Fields of Education – right through the education system – to those dedicated vocationally driven Teachers/Educators – the entire – STRUCTURE – gets a VOICE – gets a SAY – into the Future of Education – in Hungary.
It is said often, that a Professor is someone who talks in someone else’s sleep.
Hope I did – being one for 22 years ///
It is not the Function of a Democratically Elected Government, to keep the Citizens from Falling into ERROR.
It is the Function of the Citizens to KEEP the Governmemt – from Falling into ERROR.
Citizens by our RIGHT to Vote in the upcoming National Elections May 2022 – use our POWER – Our Voice by our RIGHT to Vote.
Education – citizens what direction do we wish to see it TRANSFORMED in Hungary – in the FUTURE.