Education reforms passed in Romania and Hungary

Legislative changes regarding education management and labor rights have been passed in Romania and Hungary.

In Romania, the Parliament approved a proposal by the RMDSZ to reduce the mandatory teaching hours for school principals and inspectors. The weekly requirement will drop to 8 hours, down from previous levels, to allow administrators more time for leadership and coordination tasks. In isolated areas where finding teachers is difficult, inspectors may still permit administrators to take on extra teaching hours to ensure school operations.

In Hungary, the Parliament passed amendments to the public education law that facilitate the right to strike for teachers by removing previous obstacles. While the right to strike is expanded, schools must maintain certain services during strikes, including childcare from 7:00 to 15:00, dormitory operations, catering, and supervision for students with special needs. Additionally, if a strike occurs within 90 days of graduation exams and lasts more than five days, preparatory classes for mandatory subjects must continue. The law also grants school staff more influence over pedagogical programs and the appointment of principals, while increasing the autonomy of school directors regarding decisions made by school districts.