Hungarian student robotics team wins silver in Singapore

robotics

A team of four students from the Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC) Secondary School Programme won a silver medal at the October 7-10 FIRST Global Challenge international robotics competition held in Singapore.

Fully 191 national teams took part in the competition focused on technological developments related to hydrogen and other renewable energy sources, the MCC communications office said in a statement on Friday.

Not only did the contestants have to build a robot, but they also completed numerous social media challenges between May and October to demonstrate their commitment and creativity in respect of energy efficiency and environmental protection.

The MCC students played in 10 semi-finals over four days in Singapore to reach the play-offs, and then the best three groups made it to the finals, in which they won second place jointly with Angola, Argentina and Israel.

As we wrote before, Budapest among the best European cities for studying abroad, details HERE.

The ultimate freshman’s guide to Budapest

Freshman’s guide to Budapest 2

Starting university is such a big first for everyone that at the beginning it might seem a wee bit frightening. Exploring and interacting with a new community is the cornerstone of the freshman experience. HVG put together a little freshman’s guide to help you get prepared for university life in Budapest.

Why should someone pick Budapest for their studies?

Firstly, it’s the capital of Hungary so it’s always buzzing with life. Secondly, Budapest has the highest number of universities out of all the Hungarian cities, and consequently the biggest community of students.

What is the most useful advice that a freshman can take to make the most out of their uni years in Budapest?

It’s very easy to get lost in the crowd or occasionally feel small. Be open to the new experiences and the others around you. It’s as good a time as any to make friends, and if you join a community, it will make it even easier for you. These communities can also be a great help, not only in making friends but also in getting the notes for that one lecture that you slept through.

Read more: Budapest among the best European cities for studying abroad!

What major university events should a freshman be aware of?

The answer varies from university to university. There is always the freshers’ week and those orientation programmes that every university organises for their own students, like BME Days. There are other parties peppered throughout the semester, and you should absolutely try to attend as many as you can.

What are the hottest places for students to go out?

There are two types of going out in the Budapest night, that will be mentioned here. Dive bars get the first mention, since they all have their authentic, ruin bar vibe and can be specific to the university or the area. For example, students from ELTE and BTK usually frequent the Könyvtár Klub. The second mention are the nightclubs. There are a couple of extremely popular places, such as Instant-Fogas, Morrison’s 2, Turbina and many others.

What is considered the favourite drink/food of university students?

There is a great variety of options, so a hungry student has plenty to choose from. There are unmissable favourites such as gyros places, the different Asian eateries scattered throughout the city, or the classic fast food restaurants like McDonald’s. The budget options include some quick grub from Aldi or Lidl supermarkets. Additional pro tip: there are quite a lot of coupons and discounts if you flash that student card. As far as alcohol is concerned, there is beer and spritzers and the trinity of vodka orange, whiskey cola,and gin tonic. Honourable mentions include Jägermeister, Tubi and perhaps Unicum.

What is the city like in terms of transport/amenities?

Let’s just say it fulfills its function as a public transportation system. It’s cheap with a student card and connects the city’s main transportation hubs rather well. You can also opt for MOL Bubi if you want to squeeze in a bit of a workout while getting from one place to another.

Where and how to recharge your batteries after a party/exam?

Once you sleep off the effects, there are a lot of really nice cafés and art house pubs that you can visit. Recently some pretty cool brunch places have started popping up around the city, which are also worth a try. In the summer, you can kick back at one of the festivals or you can explore the green areas around the city, such as Margaret Island or Normafa.

Read more: THE Ranking: Hungarian university in the world’s best 1%, ten others in the best 5%

Author: Emma Kusnyerik

Novice teachers in Hungary paid less than 1/5th of annual salary of Danish counterparts

Novice teachers in Hungary paid less than 1:5th of the annual salary of their Danish counterparts

On the occasion of World Teachers’ Day, which falls on 5th of October, Eurydice, a network within the European Commission with a mission to overlook the organisation of education systems, published an annual report on the salaries and allowances of the teachers in 27 member states and 10 West-Balkan states. One of the key findings is that it takes Hungarian teachers 42 years to reach the maximum possible salary for their work, while in Denmark, this can be achieved in just 12 years.

Salaries and PPS

As Népszava reports, in the European Union, it is a policy for the member states to ensure an annual gross salary of between €4,000 and €92,000 to their citizens. The report notes that there are striking differences between countries, highlighting five member states, where the novice teachers’ salaries are below €10,000 per year. Hungary is amongst these states. However, the report not only presents the salaries of different countries but also measures the purchasing power parities (PPS) of teachers’ salaries, which accounts for differences in price levels between countries. The PPS statistics align with the salary measurements. There are significant differences between countries, with gross starting salaries ranging from 11,000 to 59,000 PPS per year in the states that were included in the report. Hungary is amongst the lowest-ranking EU countries, with PPS of 13,465, surpassing only two countries: Lithuania, with a PPS of 12,739 and Slovakia, where the PPS is 13,319.

Read more: Teacher shortage in Hungary critical: tens of thousands are missing

Career development of teachers in Hungary

The difference in pay among countries is not necessarily reflected in statutory wages. Where the differences become most evident is in the salary levels corresponding to various stages of education. Across the countries which were examined, salary increases for novice teachers differ over the course of their careers. While the rise can be as low as 16% (Denmark), it can reach as high as 143%(Cyprus). As a result, while it takes only 12 years in Denmark to reach the maximum income for a teacher, in Hungary, it takes nearly four times as long – 42 years.

In Hungary, teacher salaries have seen only small hikes in recent years, closely tracking inflation without significant growth in real value. In contrast, in other countries like the Czech Republic, teacher salaries have surged by 30% over the past five years. According to the study conducted by Eurydice, the average teacher salary shows a strong correlation with the GDP per capita. An example of a country where teacher salaries correspond to a lower GDP is Hungary.

In conclusion, the report published by Eurydice presents us with valuable yet shocking insights into the Hungarian education system, highlighting that teacher salaries in Hungary are among the lowest in the region. In addition, it also reveals the extended duration it takes for a novice teacher to reach their maximum salary.

Read also: Further decline in real earnings in Hungary

Author: István Martin Németh

Shocking ranking: Hungary is one of the poorest European countries?

Hungary is the EU's poorest country
The Eurostat regional yearbook has published statistics based on the regional division of EU countries. As far as results go, based on five indicators, Hungary scored fourth place on the list of the poorest European countries. When examining statistics in healthcare, education, the labour market, living conditions and the economy, different regions of Hungary were compared, but the country as a whole was also juxtaposed with other EU countries.

Healthcare statistics

According to Qubit, the first indicator, healthcare, reveals that Budapest, with a 4.6% satisfaction rate, seems to rank the lowest regionally in terms of satisfaction with access to proper healthcare. In contrast, the Southern Great Plain (Szeged region), Southern Transdanubian region (Pécs region) and the Central Transdanubian region (Székesfevérvár region) perform the best. In Central Hungary, which ranks second-worst for healthcare availability, dissatisfaction rates in 2022 have risen compared to 2018, increasing from 1.3% to 3.1%. This dissatisfaction percentage is 4.6% in Budapest, compared to 0.6% in the Southern Great Plain region, which matches the standards of Austria or Luxembourg. It is important to note that the idea of receiving sufficient healthcare does not necessarily refer to its quality.
Regarding the number of doctors per 100,000 residents, the results are grim. While the overall parameter decreased by 1% in the EU, the northern region of Hungary experienced a 10% drop between 2019 and 2020.

Education figures

In the realm of education, Eurostat found that in Hungary, the number of high school students participating in practical education has hiked, especially in the highly industrialised region of Western Transdanubia (Győr region). The results also place all eight Hungarian regions in the top 10 list of regions with the fastest-growing number of students receiving practical education. Among individuals aged 25-34 who received a diploma in 2022, Northern Hungary ranks last, while Budapest tops the list with an encouraging 55% placing the city among the top 10 in Europe.

Employment data

Labour market data reveals low unemployment rates but high employment rates, with a low number of workers in high-value-added sectors. Regionally, Budapest and Pest county perform the best, but when comparing the number of men versus women aged 20-64 who are active in the workforce, men are present in higher numbers in all regions.

Are we really one of the poorest European countries?

The indicator that ultimately placed Hungary in fourth place when measuring poverty is living conditions. Material deprivation is assessed by considering whether at least seven out of the thirteen listed items are missing. These items include being able to afford a one-week vacation annually, covering unexpected expenses, replacing used furniture, eating out once a month with friends or family, having an adequate diet, owning a car without financial strain, replacing worn clothing, setting aside money for personal expenses weekly, having no housing debt, having proper heating, having personal internet access and owning at least two pairs of shoes suitable for every season. Based on regional data, Western Transdanubia ranks highest, with only 8.7% of the population qualifying as living in poverty, while Northern Hungary ranks last at 30%. Among EU countries, only Bulgaria, Romania, and Greece rank lower than Hungary in terms of poverty.
Lastly, from an economic standpoint, although Hungary has somewhat caught up to European GDP standards, income is still considered low. The lowest annual income per person in Hungary is 6,200 euros, registered in Northern Hungary, while Budapest has the highest average income, at 12,700 euros per person.
Author: Szabina Szőke 

World’s largest endometriosis study needs your help!

woman belly endometriosis

Researchers from Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary, are on a mission to speed up the diagnosis of endometriosis, the debilitating disease that affects nearly 200 million women worldwide. In a groundbreaking new initiative, along with researchers from all over Europe, Hungarian scientists invite women to participate in the largest-ever study of endometriosis. They aim to solve many of the mysteries surrounding this incurable chronic condition. Those with endometriosis can experience excruciating pain daily, heavy periods, and sometimes infertility.

Previous research shows, diagnosing endometriosis takes an average of 7 years worldwide. In Hungary, it is 4 years; in the UK and the US, it takes twice as long – 8 and 9 years, respectively.

Endometriosis is a chronic condition where tissue from the womb’s lining grows in other areas and organs, such as the pelvis and ovaries. It is often associated with a woman’s menstrual cycle and hormonal changes. The main symptoms are pelvic pain, heavy and painful periods, pain after sexual intercourse, lower back pain, and debilitating fatigue. About one in three women with endometriosis may encounter problems trying to have a baby. The causes of the disease are still widely unknown.

“Unfortunately, there is no non-invasive way to diagnose endometriosis, especially in the early stages. Only a laparoscopy (cutting small holes in the abdomen to put through a tube with a camera into the stomach area) will show if someone suffers from the disease.

The signs of the illness can be picked up from the patient’s medical history or an ultrasound scan, but to fully confirm the condition, patients need to go through an expensive and unpleasant procedure, which could be one reason for the diagnostic delay,”

says Dr. Attila Bokor, Associate Professor, Head of Minimally Invasive Surgery Unit at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Semmelweis University.

Therefore, Hungarian researchers are now inviting women – with and without diagnosed endometriosis – from Europe to complete a monthly questionnaire over a year via a mobile app called Lucy (by Yourcode Lab Ltd.). They hope to collect self-reported data on endometriosis symptoms, sociodemographic data, mental and physical health information, and dietary and other lifestyle factors to speed up the time to diagnosis and develop new and targeted treatment options.

“We want to conduct a longitudinal study of 10,000 women with endometriosis and 10,000 healthy women over 12 months. We need many participants, and the Lucy app is available throughout Europe in Danish, English, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, and Swedish already.

By signing up, the key is to fill out the questionnaire every month so we can monitor the development of the disease,”

explains Dr. Dóra Balogh, Research Fellow at Semmelweis University.

Endometriosis usually presents itself in three primary forms: ovarian cysts, peritoneal (superficial), and deeply infiltrating endometriosis, which can involve various organs. Based on these categories, Hungarian scientists hope to identify potential patient groups, lifestyle, and dietetic factors that can have a role in developing or treating the illness.

“We want to see if any typical characteristics of these patient groups can determine the form of endometriosis they develop. Furthermore, we hypothesize that some lifestyle factors, e.g., consumption of saturated fats, red meats, and refined sugars, might negatively affect the disease. Hopefully, the anonymized questionnaires will also help us clarify these aspects,” adds Dr. Bokor.

Experts at the Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden and the Technical University of Riga will analyze the big data using advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning methods.

The Lucy Study and data collection is part of the Europe-wide Horizon 2020 project Finding Endometriosis using Machine Learning (FEMaLe), coordinated by Aarhus University in Denmark. It brings together multidisciplinary scientists from all over Europe, including Hungary and the United Kingdom, with one of the world’s most prominent research budgets (€6 million) so far in the field of endometriosis. It digs deep into all aspects of the disease, including genetics.

“A recent large international study has demonstrated a common genetic background of endometriosis with other chronic pain and inflammatory conditions. With the Lucy Study under the umbrella of the FEMale project, we will be able to confirm these findings and collect more urgently needed data which will help us better understand the genetic and clinical aspects of the disease,” – said Christian Becker, Professor of Reproductive Sciences at the University of Oxford, Co-Director of Oxford Endometriosis Care Centre.

The main aim of FEMaLe is to create an open-access multi-omics platform for clinicians to offer quicker diagnostic and more personalized treatment options for patients.

“Affecting one in ten women and those assigned female at birth, endometriosis presents a significant burden on society, with health care costs reaching at least three times higher for those with the illness than those without. Endometriosis can limit and affect their work and social life, relationships, and mental health – and in the most serious cases, it can lead to infertility. Hence, FEMaLe is on a special quest to really reduce time to diagnosis, identify new treatment options, and to help improve the quality of life of approximately 190 million women worldwide suffering from the disease,” – explains Ulrik Bak Kirk, Chief Consultant and FEMaLe Coordinator, Aarhus University.

The FEMaLe project started in 2021 and ends in 2024.

To participate in the Lucy Study (currently only available in Europe), please sign up here: https://hellolucy.app/en/ or download the app from Google Play or Apple Store. You can choose your preferred language inside the Lucy app. After creating an account, the follow-up endometriosis questionnaires will appear in a pop-up window.

Budapest among the best European cities for studying abroad!

Hungarian housing market - real estate
A new study has revealed the top 10 best European cities for studying abroad, and with a score of 6.68/10, Budapest ranks in 8th place. 
The experts at Moving to Spain have revealed the top 10 best cities for studying abroad, by analysing factors such as the percentage of international students, cost of living, safety, post-graduate visas, google searches and nightlife. You can view the full findings by clicking HERE.
The top 10 best European cities for studying abroad

Cost of Domestic Beer, 1 Pint

Cost of 1 bedroom Apartment in City Centre

Rank

City

Country

International Students

EUR

GBP

USD

EUR

GBP

USD

Safety Scores

Post-Graduate Visa

Bars and Nightclubs per 100,000 people

Searches for Universities

Student Score /10

1

Maastricht

Netherlands

56%

€4.50

£3.86

$4.85

€1,068

£917

$1,151

80

Yes

16.31

24,200

7.70

2

Prague

Czech Republic

54%

€2.20

£1.89

$2.37

€992

£852

$1,068

75

Yes

54.22

1,440

7.60

3

Valencia

Spain

50%

€2.50

£2.15

$2.69

€824

£707

$887

69

Yes

9.83

11,430

6.99

4

Innsbruck

Austria

46%

€4.30

£3.69

$4.63

€950

£816

$1,023

74

Yes

16.08

2,950

6.95

5

Logrono

Spain

41%

€2.50

£2.15

$2.69

€567

£486

$610

79

Yes

0

6.80

6

Madrid

Spain

32%

€2.60

£2.23

$2.80

€990

£850

$1,066

73

Yes

18.37

9,590

6.76

7

Cluj-Napoca

Romania

33%

€2.02

£1.73

$2.18

€452

£388

$487

77

Yes

11.05

280

6.74

8

Budapest

Hungary

34%

€2.15

£1.85

$2.32

€551

£473

$594

65

Yes

14.76

1,840

6.68

9

Barcelona

Spain

34%

€3.00

£2.58

$3.23

€1,084

£930

$1,167

49

Yes

33.18

24,700

6.50

10

Munich

Germany

36%

€4.50

£3.86

$4.85

€1,344

£1,154

$1,448

80

Yes

10.71

10,280

6.46

11

Vienna

Austria

58%

€4.10

£3.52

$4.42

€852

£731

$917

73

Yes

8.75

690

6.26

Read also:
The research has revealed: 
  • Maastricht has been named the best city in Europe to study abroad, It’s one of the most popular cities with 24,200 searches for universities last year. Not only are half the students here international, but half of the courses are taught in English.
  • Wageningen has also been named the safest European city for studying abroad, with a safety score of 87/100. In contrast, Bremen in Germany is perceived as one of the least safest cities, with a score of 44/100.
  • Braganca has been revealed as the European city with the most affordable accommodation, with the cost of a one bedroom apartment priced at €260. Following in second and third are Varna and Ilmenau with prices of €333 and €350 respectively.
  • Conversely, Zurich stands out as the most expensive city to reside in, with the cost of renting a one-bedroom apartment averaging €2,435 a month.
  • Spain holds the distinction of being the most popular country for studying abroad, with Valencia, Madrid, Logrono and Barcelona all ranking among the top 10 best cities.
Budapest study abroad
Press release/ Moving to Spain

Minister: Hungary taking over rotating presidency of CEEPUS education scheme

János Csák

Hungary has formally taken over the rotating presidency of the Central European exchange programme for university studies (CEEPUS) from Poland, János Csák, the minister for culture and innovation, said in Warsaw on Wednesday, following a meeting of representatives of the scheme’s member states.

Speaking at a press conference, Csák noted that the CEEPUS programme had been launched in Budapest in 1993 with the aim to promote mutual knowledge sharing among university students, teachers and other fellows in central and eastern European and Western Balkan countries.

The scheme has been highly successful with the number of participants increasing steadily over the past years and spending several months in host countries, Hungarian minister for culture and innovation said.

The scheme will be expanded to have new members such as Ukraine offering participation of Ukrainian students in its programmes, the minister added.

Representatives of the member states signed at the meeting an international agreement on the new CEEPUS programme for 2025.

Teacher shortage in Hungary much worse than anybody expected

teacher board frustration

Hungary’s public education sector had a shortage of more than 20,000 teachers in the 2020-2021 school year, the head of teachers’ union PSZ said on Monday, citing a study carried out by the organisation.

Counting all school staff directly assisting teachers, the labour shortage in the sector exceeded 34,000, Tamás Totyik told a press conference, adding that the study was based on data obtained from local reports of national competence tests, the Central Statistical Office and social security information. Altogether, the public education sector is missing 34,618 workers, Totyik said, adding that this was a “conservative estimate”. According to the study, the sector had a shortage of 20,587 teachers in the 2020-2021 school year.

Read also:

EU institution leaders ‘in thrall to multinationals’?

Ursula von der Leyen’s recent “state of the union” speech is evidence of how the leaders of European Union institutions are in thrall to multinationals, German and French carmakers in particular, opposition LMP has said, commenting on the speech given by the President of the European Commission.

The green party’s spokesman, József Gál, told a press conference on Monday that LMP did not support Von der Leyen as EC president and would continue to withhold its backing after the European Parliament elections. Von der Leyen has said the EC will investigate the flood of cheap Chinese electric cars on the European market, he noted, adding that the competition procedure was set up to protect the German and French car industry, while these companies repatriated handsome profits thanks to exploiting cheap labour and natural resources in central and eastern Europe.

European institutions, he said, were encouraging eastern parts of the EU to be places of landfill and assembly plants of EU core countries. Gál said EU leaders should be on the side of ordinary people, not large corporations, and the EU leadership “is more than happy” to help Prime Minister Viktor Orban make Hungary into a “battery colony”. Pollution from electric car manufacture would concentrate in the east, while all the profits would stay in the west, he added.

OECD: Hungarian vocational training in the world’s top

Teacher Class Education

When it comes to employment opportunities of graduates of vocational training, Hungary ranks third, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

The OECD Education at a Glance 2023 report presents the performance of education systems in a global context, showing that the employment rate of people aged 25-34 with professional qualifications in Hungary “is exceptionally high”, with the country coming third after Norway and Iceland, the culture and innovation ministry said on Saturday.

Fully 38 percent of 24-34-year-olds obtain a vocational diploma and are less exposed to the risk of unemployment than those with general secondary education, and can expect a 31 percent higher salary, the ministry said in a statement.

Read also:

PHOTOS: Huge demonstration held in Budapest

Huge demonstration for the education in Budapest

The students organisation dubbed United Student Front and other organisations staged a demonstration against the new law on teachers’ career paths on Friday evening.

The protesters gathered at Margaret Bridge and moved to Kossuth Lajos Square near Parliament where a stage had been set up and they placed the flag of the teachers’ trade union PDSZ there. Several opposition politicians and activists joined the protest, including Bence Tordai of Párbeszéd, Ágnes Kunhalmi of the Socialists, independent MP Ákos Hadházy and student activist Lili Pankotai. Here are Hadházy’s photos:

And Ágnes Kunhalmi’s:

Activist of the Tanítanék (I want to teach) movement Katalin Törley said they had experienced “oppression” and “revenge by way of the law on teachers”. Protests held in the past procuded hardly any results, except the joining of forces between teachers, students and parents and the international attention attracted, she added.

PDSZ national board member Zoltán Szendrei announced at the event that he would leave the teaching profession as a result of the low wages and demanded wage increase and the reduction of work burdens for those that remain teachers. He called for increased budget allocation on education and an independent ministry run by a competent person. At the end of the protest, the participants marched to the Chain Bridge to join a climate protection protest organised by the Fridays for Future movement.

Read also:

Minister hopes for fundamental changes in teachers’ wages

The head of the Prime Minister’s Office expressed hope on Friday that teachers’ wages will undergo radical changes in the next 18 months or two years. Gergely Gulyás told a year-opening event of Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC) in Szekszard, in southern Hungary, that teachers should receive wages that reflect the importance of their work.

“I think we are closer to this than anybody would think and a breakthrough may occur within months, resulting in significant wage increases,” he said. Over the past decade, a record number of schools were revamped, the number of places in creches increased to 62,000, and many kindergartens underwent a revamp, he said.

Hungary will not ratify Sweden’s NATO accession?

Hungarian government parliament crisis Hungarian House Speaker

Swedish schools are spreading “serious accusations and fake information” on Hungary, which “does not help” the Hungarian ratification process of Sweden’s NATO membership, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said in a letter addressed to his Swedish counterpart, Tobias Billstrom, on Thursday. Gergely Gulyás, the prime minister’s chief of staff, said on Tuesday’s government info that Sweden did everything Hungary not to ratify their NATO accession plea.

Gulyás added that Hungary’s foreign ministry had to decide whether to summon the Swedish ambassador, Mandiner wrote.

Noting that Billstrom had initiated several meetings on the issue, Szijjártó said: “I took advantage of these occasions to explain to you the very negative reception of a [series] of biased, unfair and unjust accusations put forward by Swedish politicians. These accusations have challenged the democratic nature of our domestic political system and questioned the maturity of the Hungarian people to make decisions about the future of our own country.”

Hungarian lawmakers obtained their mandates in democratic elections, and often managed that feat multiple times. “If they hear your politicians to judge this as undemocratic or authoritarian, please do not be surprised if they consider this as an insult,” he said. “And now, dear minister, these Members of Parliament have read in the news that as part of your school curriculum … serious accusations and fake information are being spread to students in the schools of Sweden, suggesting that democracy has been on a backslide in Hungary in recent years.”

Read also:

“You urge our Parliamentarians to ratify your accession to NATO, while you continue to accuse them … [of] destructing democracy in Hungary, he said.” That contradiction “does not help” the process of ratification along, he said.

Scandalous: Hungarian government spends more on Hungarian students living in Romania than in Hungary

Teacher Class Education

The school year has started, which means extra expenses for many Hungarian families. The Hungarian government gives some support to families, but under a new scheme, Romanian students receive more from the Hungarian state than Hungarians.

New school year, rising costs

The new school year has started in Hungary and is also starting in many countries in the region. The start of the school year is a major extra expense for every family in every country.

In Hungary, for example, an average school shopping trip for medium quality school supplies costs HUF 18,000 (EUR 46.76). This does not include school bags, gym bags and clothes, just pens, exercise books and folders.

In most European countries, the state provides support for starting school. In Austria, they receive EUR 100 per child on top of the family allowance. This is also available to families working in Austria but living in Hungary. In Slovakia, according to Eduline, families receive the money in October, but only first-grade children receive around EUR 110 (HUF 42,000) for starting school.

In Germany, EUR 174 (HUF 61,000) per child per school year is paid to families receiving social benefits. And in Romania, EUR 100 (HUF 38,500) is given to those who are considered needy.

The Hungarian state pays Romanian students

While Hungarian families living within the country’s borders receive nothing apart from the family allowance and free textbooks, the Hungarian state will provide HUF 100,000 in subsidies to elementary, secondary and university students who study in Hungarian under the “In Hungarian in the Homeland” programme from September, Eduline reports.

The scheme was still in place in 2022, but only a quarter of the amount was available then. The problem is not that the Hungarian government is subsidising Hungarian students abroad, but that it is not subsidising Hungarian students living in Hungary.

Not only do the families of children living in Hungary not receive a subsidy of HUF 100,000 each, but they also receive nothing apart from free textbooks. Local governments and foundations try to provide support, but in many cases, it is not enough.

These are what President Novák considers most important for good schools

novák szigetszentmiklós school

A good school can only be whole with a harmonious relationship between teachers, parents and students, President Katalin Novák said at a school year opening ceremony in Szigetszentmiklós, near Budapest, on Sunday.

“We can be thankful that the new school year can start in peace, that parents can raise their children in freedom, that there are devoted educators and teachers, that schools are developing and that our children can acquire more and more knowledge,” Katalin Novák said at the ceremony which also served as the inauguration of the Temesvári Street Primary school’s new building.

Novák’s Facebook post with the photos taken in Szigetszentmiklós:

The president said Hungary had two “homework assignments”, one of which concerned the situation of teachers and the other the ideologies that wanted to use schools.

More than 4,500 development projects have been launched in Hungarian kindergartens and schools in the last five years, she said, adding that good schools were in Hungary’s national interest.

“A good school is more than just a nice looking building, well-equipped classrooms, more than brick and mortar,” Novák said. “A good school is made up of dedicated teachers who know and love their homeland, responsible leaders, devoted helpers, cooperative parents and grandparents who are prepared to bear responsibility for their children, and curious children who are open to the world and each other.”

Concerning the situation of teachers, the president called for creating the conditions allowing teachers to be recognised and become respected leaders of the community, adding that they needed to be guaranteed the financial means to live a civic life.

As regards threats coming from “the outside” to schools, Novák said more and more people saw schools as a tool and parents as enemies. She said schools could not become tools for any ideology, and called for protecting parents’ rights to decide how they want to raise their children.

The ceremony was also attended by Speaker of Parliament László Kövér.

Read also:

Cult of personality? Orbán’s ‘orders’ on the wall of a Hungarian school

Cult Orbán Hungarian school

As we wrote, a futuristic school was inaugurated this Thursday in Csepel, Budapest’s 21st district. The investment was one of the biggest education-infrastructure projects, burning HUF 22.5 billion (EUR 58 million). The results is one of the most modern school buildings in Central Europe. Later, the Hungarian press wrote Orbán’s orders were painted on the central wall of the school. Opposition parties are outraged, while the deputy mayor of the 21st district believes if the words of famous Hungarian historical figures can be placed in the school, Orbán’s can be as well.

PM Viktor Orbán wrote seven rules he considered crucial to preserve Hungary’s identity on a mirror. Before, he mentioned these ‘laws’ of national survival in a 2020 speech. These are:

  • A homeland only exists as long as there is someone who loves it.
  • Every Hungarian child is a new sentinel.
  • Truth means little without strength.
  • Only that which we can defend is truly ours.
  • Matches are only over when we have won.
  • Only countries have borders, nations do not.
  • No Hungarian is alone.

The director did not know about Orbán’s ‘orders’

Now these sentences decorate the wall of the renewed Jedlik Ányos Secondary School in Csepel, Budapest. Opposition parties are outraged. The Democratic Coalition, former PM Ferenc Gyurcsány’s party, organised a demonstration yesterday at the school, during which they placed a warning paper on the school fence saying there is government propaganda in the institution. Here is their video:

According to RTL Klub, the Hungarian Commissioner for Education Rights began an inquiry. Lajos Aáry-Tamás said he would report about the results. The government said they did not decide about the interior or exterior decoration of the schools. Benő Bese, the director of Jedlik, said he did not know about the inscription and added that placing such quotations in schools could raise concerns.

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Demonstration held in the heart of Budapest for Hungarian teachers

teacher demonstration

A demonstration organised by civil groups and trade unions was held for changes in Hungarian public education at the square in front of Parliament on Friday evening, on the first day of the school year.

At the event at Kossuth Square, representatives of the United Student Front (EDF), the Civil Basis and the Democratic Trade Union of Teachers (PDSZ) cited “serious problems” in Hungarian public education and called for an education policy reform which they said required a cooperation of civil groups and trade unions.

A representative of EDF called for a new national curriculum to create opportunities for students across the board and for abolishing central control over teachers.

Civil servants union MKKSZ leader Erzsébet Boros urged civil groups and trade unions to join forces and press for collective rights and a “real strike law”.

PDSZ deputy president Tünde Tóth called for immediate measures to remedy the shortage of teachers.

The participating organisations announced a joint solidarity platform dubbed National Common Will (OKA) which demanded a 50 percent immediate payrise for teachers and retaining their right to strike, reforming the national curriculum and scrapping the new law on teachers’ status.

The event was held in preparation for a nationwide demonstration planned for September 15.

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Hungarian secondary schools to have army cadet classes

Hungary defence forces military N7

Several Hungarian secondary schools are introducing weekly army cadet classes on a trial basis, the minister of defence said on Friday.

Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky said in a statement that the compulsory cadet classes for 9th and 11th graders are being launched from September in six schools selected in cooperation with the ministry of the interior and the ministry of culture and innovation.

The classes are expected to boost students’ understanding of the importance of defence and patriotism, he added.

The curriculum will include first-aid, map reading, target practice and Hungarian military history, he said. In addition to theoretical knowledge, students will also receive practical training, he added.

The teachers involved have received pedagogical, psychological and methodological training, and they will wear uniform in the classroom, the statement said.

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Ukraine becoming more chauvinistic? Hungarian national anthem, flag banned at school

Zelensky Transcarpathia Hungarian school

The opening of the school year in Munkács, Transcarpathia, a Western region of Ukraine where a Hungarian community of more than 100,000 people live, ended in scandal.

Hungarian school forbids to speak, feel, sing in Hungarian in Ukraine

According to Blikk, a Hungarian tabloid, the Hungarian national anthem, flag and colours were banned at the year-opening ceremony of the Ferenc Rákóczi II high school in Munkács, Transcarpathia. Furthermore, the director of the college could hold her opening speech only in Ukrainian instead of the school’s official language, Hungarian. The school is committed to persist despite the hardships. Those include the nomination of a non-Hungarian headmaster by the local council, who does not even speak Hungarian. Moreover, even the new deputy headmaster does not speak Hungarian.

Máté Paczolai, the spokesman of the Hungarian foreign affairs ministry, said the measure contradicts the bilateral agreements, the decisions of the Venice Commission and other language and minority charts. Therefore, Hungary cannot support Ukraine’s EU accession.

What is Zelensky’s promise worth?

That comes after President Katalin Novák’s official visit in Kyiv, where the two leaders agreed in many issues. One of them was a promise from the Ukrainian president towards his Hungarian counterpart to grant similars rights to Hungarians in Ukraine as Ukrainians enjoy in Hungary. Currently, Ukrainians can sing their national anthem, use their national colours and flag freely in Hungary.

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Here is a video about what happened. Unfortunately, in Hungarian. It says the local council removed the former Hungarian headmaster without an explanation. He served 17 years in office.

Budapest Circus holds performance for 400 Ukrainian refugee children

Some 400 Ukrainian children who have fled the war were entertained at the Budapest Circus ahead of the start of the school year, the organiser National Szechenyi Library said in a statement on Friday. The children feasted their eyes on Budapest Circus’s current show, Spirit of Steppe, featuring an international troupe of artists, including Ukrainians, “drawing on their cultural roots, bringing the exotic world of the Eastern steppe to spectators,” the statement said. Other organisers included the Nova Hvylja association of ethnic Ukrainian youth and families, the Mora publishing house and Petőfi Cultural Agency, MTI wrote.

PHOTOS: Futuristic school inaugurated in Budapest

jedlik ányos secondary school

The HUF 22.5 billion (EUR 58.7 million) renovation and extension of the Jedlik Ányos Secondary School in Csepel, Budapest, was inaugurated on Thursday. The new school building is extremely modern, downright futuristic. Check out some photos below!

The project, which was entirely financed by the state, involved the renovation of the old part of the school and the construction of a new part of the building, napi.hu reports. The school also includes a theatre, a sports hall, classrooms, a library and a chapel. 760 students can study, 70 teachers can work in 24 classrooms and 15,000 square metres of state-of-the-art facilities, the portal writes.

Péter Ágh, Minister of State of the Ministry of Construction and Transport, responsible for the social coordination of public investments, said that the development of the Jedlik Ányos Secondary School was a complex task, but it was achieved in a way that remained true to the spirit of the school’s former teacher, Miklós Vermes “Uncle Muki”.

Szilárd Németh, the government commissioner responsible for the maintenance of the cuts in public utility bills, praised the broad cooperation that made the renovation and expansion possible. He emphasised that the reconstruction of the school was Hungary’s largest, fully state-funded public education and public utility investment.

“This trust and the generous support from the taxpayers’ money is our duty to reward it with successful learning and effective teaching and educational work,”

he said.

He himself was a student of the school back in the 70s:

Benő Bese, the head of the school, expressed the hope that the people living in the school’s neighbourhood will understand that those who want to learn can develop their talents in Jedlik under special circumstances.

Photo gallery

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