2022
Raised amount of measurements in all general education institutions
In accordance with the Public Education Act, input measurements of reading literacy, mathematics and natural science competences of students in grades 6, 8 and 10 grades will be organized in all general education institutions; and output measurements in grades 6-11 in the academic year 2022/23. Pilot input and output measurements will be held in grades 4 and 5 to assess the pupils’ reading literacy and mathematics competences. The assessment is digital from 2022.
Scholarships for disadvantaged students
The “Útravaló” (Path) program provides support for disadvantaged and multiply disadvantaged pupils and students from the last year of basic school (ISCED 1-2) until the HE graduation. The scholarship program has four sub-programs: Path to upper secondary school, Path to profession, Path to graduation, Path to diploma. Due to the governmental 2.5 billion HUF subsidy, more than ten thousand children and young people can benefit from this performance-based scholarship program, the amount depends on the academic results of the pupil/student gained at the end of the previous school year.
The Roma Nationality Study Scholarships are also open for application, students who attend a Roma nationality upper secondary school and achieve an academic study average of 4 are eligible.
“Every child should learn to swim!” sub-programme started on 1 February 2022
The programme, established by the Hungarian Swimming Association and funded by the Hungarian Government, aims to ensure that all children learn to swim. The goal is to reach more than three hundred thousand children with the involvement of three hundred sport facilities by 2028. As part of this unique program, swimming education included in the school curriculum as part of the physical education classes is provided free of charge by trained professionals. After completing the curriculum, students will be able to swim one hundred meters in three different swimming strokes continuously, and move safely and confidently in the deep water. The first round of the programme starts with the involvement of about twelve thousand kindergarten and primary school children in twenty cities. The number of cities and participants will be expanded in further stages.
Hungarian Eco-School Network
After the school year 2021/2022, additional institutions can become members of the Hungarian Eco-School Network with the help of the new calls for the school year 2022/2023. Every third student in Hungary attends an Eco-School, and can learn and experience -through his/her daily activities- how individual responsibility can be translated into action for a fair, liveable and harmonious future with the natural environment.
In 2021, the Hungarian Eco-School Network received a professional recognition of the Global Education Network Europe (GENE). According to the organization's call for proposals, the submitted programme is encouraging and adaptable to other European countries.
2021
Renewal of the general requirements of upper secondary school leaving exams
The content reform of the Hungarian public education has been followed by the renewal of the general requirements of upper secondary school leaving exams after that the curricular revisions had completed. The main change -made after comprehensive consultations and in line with the new implications of the framework curricula published in 2020- is that the exams in several subjects require more creativity and individual problem solving (e.g: project work). The new regulation will take effective in a phasing in system, exams remain same until the autumn fall in school year 2023/24.
Children living with diabetes get help in public education institutions
The recent modifications of the Public Education Act have stipulated the organisation of appropriate daytime health care provision for children living with diabetes. This may include e.g. that the appointed person assists in testing blood glucose level and giving insulin, also takes special care of the alimentation of children with diabetes. Teachers who voluntarily participate in the task receive an additional allowance,17% of the salary base. Theoretical and practical trainings are organized for teachers.
Public education and cultural institutions maintained by local ethnic minority governments are supported
1.356 billion HUF is allocated to support public education and cultural institutions maintained by local ethnic minority governments due to a government decision. In 2010 five public education institutions were under the auspices of ethnic minority governments, the number is 66 in 2021. The grant for infrastructure has been given to 60 institutions of 49 maintainers in 13 counties.
2020
Digital schooling
The Public Education Act authorizes the minister responsible for the field to introduce digital schooling in a ministerial decree. The decree shall specify the grades, the period, the student access and the rules of supervision. Due to the COVID-19 situation, the Ministry responsible for education and the Educational Authority involving the Operative Board in charge of coordinating the response to the pandemic follow the epidemiological data of public education institutions day by day. The Ministry and the Authority make daily decisions about introducing shorter extraordinary breaks or out of classroom-digital schooling in case of the public education institutions jeopardized by the present pandemic. Due to this response, long-term institution closures have been avoided since September 2020. Only those institutions were closed for a couple of days or their digital home schooling was introduced where the necessity had been proved by epidemiological data. As a result, the continuity of education has been assured so far.
National Core Curriculum and Framework curricula for schools
The new National Core Curriculum (NCC) was published with significant modifications to the Government Decree of 2012, and framework curricula – based on this new curriculum – have been developed. The changes took effect in grades 1, 5 and 9 onwards from the school year 2020/2021.
NCC combines the most modern and successful international pedagogical practices with the traditions and values of the Hungarian education and strengthens students’ national identity.
The new framework curricula are based on modern pedagogical and methodological principles, the development of certain areas of competence is more prominent and the content of the curriculum is more up-to-date.
The new regulation also affects the textbook development, teacher training, in-service teacher training and maturity exam requirements.
Private student status
From September 2019, the private student status was replaced by individual work schedule. All concerned status will be revised within one year at the latest, and instead of the school itself, the Educational Authority will be responsible for the authorization of the individual work schedules.
Students with individual work schedules should be exempted from all compulsory school activities. The head of the institution shall determine when and the teaching staff defines how the student’s advancement is measured.