Hungary proposes education reforms including shorter lessons

The Hungarian Ministry of Education and Children has introduced a 14-point proposal package aimed at reducing the burden on primary school students and strengthening child-centered education. A central and controversial element of this plan is the potential introduction of 35-minute lessons. While some parents support the idea, educators warn that shortening lesson times may not solve overcrowding or workload issues if the required amount of curriculum remains unchanged.

Historically, teacher workloads in Hungary have been a point of discussion. Following the implementation of the status law in January 2024, the mandatory working hours for most educators were standardized to 24 hours per week. However, this figure includes non-teaching duties such as classroom management and department leadership. According to 2024 TALIS data from the OECD, lower secondary school teachers in Hungary reported an average of 43.2 working hours per week, which is higher than the OECD average of 41 hours.