[REVISION HISTORY]

Hungary education reforms: autonomy, leadership, and wages

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2026-10-19 12:02 UTC → 2026-10-31 16:23 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Education Minister Judit Lannert is leading a comprehensive reform of the Hungarian education system, focusing on curriculum overhauls, exam redesigns, and digital integration. The reform agenda includes reviewing high school structures, modernizing the National Core Curriculum, and reforming the high school graduation exam ~~(érettségi)~~ to prioritize 21st-century competencies. In August 2026, new legislative amendments ~~entered into force to increase~~ increased the organizational and professional autonomy of educational ~~institutions. These changes expanded the employer~~ institutions, expanding principal rights ~~of principals~~ and ~~restored decision-making powers to teaching staffs regarding pedagogical programs, annual work plans, and organizational rules. The amendments also restored~~ restoring collective rights for ~~employees and removed certain restrictions on the right to strike.~~ employees. Parallel to these ~~legal~~ changes, ~~State Secretary Marietta Kórayné Lányi~~ the ministry introduced a 14-point ~~professional recommendation~~ package for primary ~~schools. This initiative promotes child-centered learning through flexible morning starts, longer breaks, and increased physical activity, while allowing~~ schools ~~the autonomy~~ to ~~implement elements based on local needs. Leadership changes have also been implemented, including the appointment of 359 new principals for state-maintained institutions and~~ promote child-centered learning, which includes a ~~major restructuring of university foundations, where 98 percent of board members~~ controversial proposal for ~~certain foundations were replaced~~ 35-minute lessons to ~~introduce legal~~ reduce student burden. Recent reforms target early childhood and ~~financial expertise. Additionally, the~~ transitions. Proposed changes would allow parents and kindergarten teachers to decide if a child should remain in kindergarten rather than entering compulsory schooling, bypassing previous complex administrative requirements. The government ~~announced the discontinuation of teacher training at the National University of Public Service~~ also plans to ~~transition~~ treat early childhood as a unified process, developing new core programs for nurseries and kindergartens. Teacher training is also undergoing restructuring. The ministry plans to ~~other~~ abolish the mandatory National Core Curriculum exam for trainees and allow institutions to ~~create a more unified~~ organize internal training. While the Democratic Union of Teachers (PDSZ) welcomed increased flexibility, they criticized proposed credit limits for internal training ~~system.~~ as being disproportionately low. To address financial ~~concerns, Minister Lannert~~ concerns and declining PISA scores, the government has announced a school development program and multi-year salary ~~increases aimed at ensuring~~ increases. The goal is for teacher salaries to reach at least 80 percent of the average graduate salary. The ~~plan also~~ 2027 budget proposal includes ~~wage hikes~~ a 5.5 percent gross pay increase for ~~non-pedagogical staff (NOKS)~~ educators and ~~support workers, with adjustments~~ a 15 percent gross increase for ~~NOKS expected in two stages through early 2027.~~ support staff, such as nannies and librarians.

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