Sit-in protest against the status law in front of the Ministry of Interior

Civilians organised an event entitled “0th Hour for Education” in front of the Ministry of the Interior building on Monday morning at 7:30 am.

Participants, including a number of politicians, teachers and students, silently protested on the spot, blocking the entrance to the ministry. As the demonstration had not been announced, the police asked the demonstrators to leave the area and ordered them to stop.

Ministry: Teachers set to receive further pay hikes

New draft legislation supporting the careers of teachers serves to improve the quality of public education, the interior ministry said on Monday, adding teachers could expect further wage hikes and streamlined advancement.

The ministry reacted to a statement by teachers’ union PDSZ and protests organised by the body on Monday.

The ministry said it has been in talks on the new draft legislation with the National Teachers’ Chamber and the National Public Education Council for a month and a half. The bills will be submitted to the government once the consultations are concluded, the statement said.

The draft proposals are aimed at establishing a new career model for teachers and improving the quality of public education, the ministry said. Children come first in education, it said, adding that teachers could expect further wage increases and streamlined advancement. Those who do a better job teaching and focus more on the children can earn more money, they said.

The ministry said it was “regrettable” that PDSZ, which “barely represents one percent of teachers”, continued to “act as a political organisation of the left, and organises strikes and demonstrations instead of being a professional partner in improving education for children, parents’ satisfaction and the situation of teachers together”.

The statement noted that the government raised teachers’ wages by 10 percent from January, but will bump them up to 21 percent retroactively “as soon as Hungary receives the European Union funding it is entitled to”. Wages may increase by 25 percent in 2024 and by up to 30 percent in 2025, compared with 2021 levels, it said.

The government is committed to having teachers’ wages reach 80 percent of the average wage of degree holders by 2025, it said.

As we wrote today, there is room for improvement in the school system, but do not underestimate, PM Orbán said. Details HERE.