The 12 demands of Hungarian students

As Eduline.hu reports, LMP presents to the Parliament the 12 points of the Független Diákparlament (Independent Student Parliament), as the party announced on Monday.

Two weeks ago thousands participated in the demonstration for a fairer, more democratic and more student-centred educational system which is modern and does not overtask the pupils. Students summarised their demands in 12 points, for which, as it was said on the demonstration, they expect a guarantee in the form of a provision of law from the government until the 31^st of January. In case this does not happen, they continue with the demonstrations.

Their expectations include

• the annulment of “zero hour” (lessons before 8 am)
• the school year must not be longer
• students younger than 18 must not be outplaced from education
• the restitution of quota in higher education to the 2011 numbers
• the establishment of a system for evaluating teachers the results of which would be public
• freedom of speech at school, no one should be banned from expressing their opinion
• the maximum number of lessons to be reduced to 25 lessons per week in elementary schools and 30 in secondary schools
• the abolition of compulsory vocational final exams

In their announcement, LMP states that they are presenting for acceptance a proposal of a resolution,

by accepting which the Parliament declares to start the adjustment of the educational system in accordance with the 12 points.

They also added that they agree with the students’ demands. “We believe that if a group of students organises themselves and calls the government to account, then the Parliament has to deal with the proposals. This would be an obvious process in a democracy which functions normally.”

Magyaridok.hu also elaborates on the problem of the overtasking of children, why there are lessons before 8 a.m. and all afternoon, and whom they could consult with these problems.

The ministry told them that modifications made to the curriculum made the increase of pedagogical autonomy and the decrease of students’ overtasking possible from the school year of 2017/2018.

Teachers now have the right to adapt to the skills and studying pace of their learner groups, granting the success of the acquisition of the material. They emphasised that teachers can diverge from the compulsory number of teachers’ weekly hours assigned to thematic units of the curriculum. At most 20-30% of topics of a unit can be differentiated or left out.

The Ministry informs in connection with the “zero hour” lessons that they can be started 45 minutes before 8 a.m. at earliest, and the public educational institute can decide whether they want to hold it.

Regarding the number of lessons, the maximum numbers are determined by law:

from first to third class, no more than six lessons can be held a day,

from fourth to eight, it can increase to seven lessons. Eight lessons can only be held in ninth-twelfth grades, but it is up to the institute to decide whether they take the opportunity.

Featured Image: MTI

Source: eduline.hu, magyaridok.hu