Education system in Hungary

1. Education system in Hungary Education and educational policy in the enlarged European Union 14-16th October, 2005.

2. Education system in Hungary • Education in numbers • Traditional studies • Non-traditional studies • Main trends, challenges and their effect

3. Education in numbers • 10 000 000 citizens • 1 400 000 pupils in primary and secondary education • 160 000 teachers • 5 500 primary and secondary institutions • 400 000 students in higher education

4. Traditional studies Five levels of study: • Pre-school • Primary school • Secondary vocational and technical schools • College/university • Postgraduate education

5. Pre-school • The last year of kindergarten is preparation for primary school • Only last year is compulsory

6. Primary school • Basic education • Between ages 6 and 14 • After this pupils should choose between the different types of secondary schools • Education is compulsory for 12 years

7. Vocational schools • Skilled workers • Pupils start work immediately after school • The professional orientation starts 9th and 10th grade • Technical training starts in 11th grade • Professional subjects • Factories • School work-shops

8. Vocational schools • No secondary school leaving certificate • The level of vocational qualification is lower than in vocational secondary schools

9. General secondary school • Preparation for university or college • 4-year-long • School leaving certificate • 5-year-long secondary schools - subjects taught in two languages • Big differences between them

10. Vocational secondary school • General education, learn profession • General subjects – 9th – 12th grade • Vocational orientation starts in 9th grade • Theoretical and practical basics – from 11th grade on • Real technical training starts after getting the school leaving certificate

11. University and college • Mainly state institutions • Churches • Private colleges • Many of them merged in the middle of 90’s, the number of them decreased • The number of training possibilities increased significantly • Two semesters – autumn and spring

12. University and college • State-funded students • Foreigners need to pay tuition fee • No age limit for applications • Applicants need to have a school leaving certification

13. Universities and colleges • Three types of degree: • Bachelor degree – 3-5 years – colleges • Master degree – 4-5 years – universities, medical universities: 6 • Doctoral degree, Ph.D., DLA – 3 years • Other forms of higher education Degrees awarded are equivalent to those granted to full-time students • Evening or correspondence courses • Run by higher education institutions • Distanceeducation • Organized at universities and colleges

14. Post-secondary, non-tertiary studies • Higher vocational training is introduced in the beginning of 90’s • Short-cycle post-secondary course • 2-3 year programmes at universities and colleges • In collaboration with secondary vocational schools • Not a degree course,vocational certificate

15. Main trends and changes since the early 90’s • Decreasing number of pupils • Economic and social changes at the beginning of the 90’s • Demand for highly qualified ppl increased • Demand for continuous learning and development • IT skills and digital literacy are crucial

16. Impact • The education system had been restructured • 6 and 8 year long secondary schools appeared, and started to spread quickl • law regulations stopped their spreading at the end of 90’s • More pupils applied for vocational secondary schools

17. Impact • The number of university/college places started to raise in the beginning of 90’s • More pupils wanted to apply for university or college • Computer and foreign language skills are in focus