Striking rates of school dropouts in public employment

The number of public workers under 18 is eleven times as high as it was 2013, mno.hu reports. From this year on, teenagers can work only if they have a justifiable cause to do so.

The monthly average of underage public workers was 101 three years ago. This rose to 568 in 2014, and to 1123 in 2015, which is an elevenfold increase compared to the data of 2013. This is possible since the age of compulsory schooling has been lowered from 18 to 16, and many underprivileged families could be choosing public employment for their children instead of education, so the school dropouts can appear on the job market at 16.

According to experts, the lowered requirements for compulsory education increase the number of dropouts, since the payment accompanying public employment motivates young people to leave school and start working. However, if more and more people fail to finish their education, unemployment will inevitably rise, since the people in question will not be able to find employment without qualifications.

There have been attempts from the opposition to amend the law and prevent underage people from being publicly employed, but the government does not deem it necessary to implement restrictions. According to the law, public work does not constitute proper employment for job seekers under 25, and they can only be employed if their social and family situation, or the limited opportunities in the region, justify it.