Despite ongoing protests, Hungarian parliament passes new education law

Parliament voted by 134 votes in favour, 60 against and no abstentions on the parts of the bill requiring a qualified majority, and by 136 votes in favour, 58 against and no abstentions on the parts requiring a simple majority, so the new “career-path” law will enter into force on 1 January 2024.

Teachers will be transferred from the public servant status to public education employee status, while a new number of weekly classes and a performance-based system of salaries will be introduced. Employers must inform teachers about the changes by 15 September, and teachers will have until 29 September to decide whether to accept it. The law will come into force next year.

In the future, the education district centre will have the right to transfer teachers to a different location within the district if the commute by public transport does not exceed three hours. Monthly salaries for teachers will be set in four bands depending on grading, with the lowest band ranging from HUF 410,000 (EUR 1,100) to 1,065,000 and the highest from HUF 640,000 (EUR 1,709) to 1,470,000 (3,925).

The interior ministry said that the new law would boost the average teacher wage to HUF 800,000 by 2025, while their maximum classroom time would change from 22-26 to a fixed 24 hours a week. Paid holidays will increase from 46 days to 50 days, or 10 weeks, and their administrative burdens will be reduced, it added.

“These are the facts, despite the fake news generated by the left wing, their actions and protests ending in violence during the preparation and approval of the law,” the ministry said. “The preparation, submission and approval of the law was preceded by comprehensive social and professional coordination,” it added.

The significant salary increase for teachers can continue once Brussels transfers the resources allocated to Hungary, the ministry said. “The left-wing politicians actions connected to the law have been hypocritical: demanding a wage increase for teachers at home while they work for monthly HUF 5-6 million in Brussels in order to prevent teachers from making HUF 800,000,” it added.

Months of protests against the new law

Professional and advocacy organisations have been protesting against the introduction of the law for months, Telex reports. After the draft was published, students, teachers and parents joined several protests to call for its withdrawal. The draft law was originally dubbed the “revenge law” because critics say the government is out for revenge by removing the status of public servants from teachers, making strikes impossible and banning freedom of expression.

Teachers will be informed before the entry into force that their status as a public servant will be terminated and will have to declare whether they wish to transfer to the status of public education employee. So far, nearly 5,000 have indicated that they will resign if the status law is introduced. Those who do not sign the new status will no longer be allowed to work as teachers.

According to the trade unions, the status law does not include their original strike demands: for example, an immediate, large pay rise and a reduction in the workload. They also criticised the lack of meaningful, professional consultation before the law was passed. For example, Olivér Pilz, a member of the Tanítanék Movement, said at a discussion on the problems of public education: “The new status law only exacerbates the workload of teachers, covering up the shortage of teachers by substitutions. This law will drive teachers to their death, they are in a very bad psychological state”.

“What is needed is not a new status law, including a reduction in the autonomy of education workers, but education reforms based on broad social consultation,” the Democratic Trade Union of Teachers (Pedagógusok Demokratikus Szakszervezete, PDSZ) said in a statement earlier.

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4 Comments

Victor's Closet says:

04/07/2023 at 18:23

Interesting that Victor would like all decisions in Brussels to be made by unanimous vote, meaning that Hungary, with only 8 million people can hold up the work of the rest of the EU, with 600 million people at stake. Yet here in Hungary, his party rules by decree, with only about 60% voting for this bill that “allows” teachers to be punished by reassignment that is “no more than 3 hours” by public transport (6 hours commute each day) for slave wages. The lastest smokescreen is the migration bill, passed by everyone except Poland and Hungary, throwing Italy under the bus. Do not miss the article on the sorry state of our intercity trains, about to collapse any day now!
Anonymous says:

04/07/2023 at 19:47

A country’s education system is the bedrock of its’ future. What will Hungary’s future be? Who will teach the children and what will they learn? How productive will they be when they become adults?
ostanus says:

05/07/2023 at 00:00

Right to transfer a teacher to a another school within three hours commute? Well that´s a nice tool to threat against any educator who tries to say something against the school management or point out any problems. And the salary increases are still tied with receiving EU support. Why do they not tie the salaries of the Fidesz politicians to EU support money? Well we know the answer, its too much of a risk since its likely that the support isn´t coming. I do feel sorry for the teachers in this country. An acquaintance´s spouse, who was an elementary school language teacher, already resigned and is now pursuing a new different career – I think anyone who can, will try to find more appreciated work elsewhere, especially younger teachers. Others will stay and silently follow orders to keep their jobs and not being transferred to other side of the district.
Education - Opens Windows of Opportunities: says:

05/07/2023 at 11:35

Hungarians – in growing millions continue to get FEED – see, that the Orban Government, in its position on Education, over 14 years – they have been in Government, have NEGLECTED Education.
No substance/value or REAL long term Investments into EDUCATION – the present and FUTURE of Education in Hungary, has been “signed off” from the desk of Victor Orban and his Government.
NO respect has been AFFORDED to EDUCATORS.
Orban – wants to control Education as we KNOW he/Fidesz do the Media – the Judiciary and to Rule by Decree.
The DNA of Orban as he “pushes” us on – deeper into a country ruled under a dictatorship, destroying DEMOCRACY, withdrawing us as a country under European Union Membership, or us Hungary being EXPELLED from the EU, which is ALL to our Detriment – the FUTURE of Hungary.
The European Union – know Orbans agenda on EDUCATION.
The abuse, the use of Education and Educators – the TOTAL disrespect – likened to a “punching bag” in a boxing gymnasium, that Orban and his Government have enforced over Education and Educators in Hungary – is APPALLING.
NEVER, never never – whilst Orban holds onto POWER in Hungary, must he his PARTY be granted Control of EDUCATION.
ABUSE – the Orban way on Education & Educators, that through the ROAD he Orban and his Government have taken us as a country on – the SHAMBLES – as a country we are at this point in time, that Economically & Financially – through the Orban Government, there INABILITY to Prioritize funding, instead of in CORRUPT un-lawful ways – this road – this place in time in Hungary – a Government under Orban literally – on the “cusp” of INSOLVENCY/BROKE of Finances – Orban he and his Government they continue to SURGE us into deepening DESTRUCTION.
It’s appalling and PERILOUS for the Future of Hungary.