The pedagogues, hand in hand with the students, have put forward further strikes and demonstrations, which are expected to be attended by left-wing organizations and politicians as well as Wednesday's demonstration. At the same time, the government emphasizes that it agrees with the need to raise teachers' wages, which is why it wants to ensure that our country receives EU funds as quickly as possible, from which it can be increased and accelerated. However, it is also a fact that one of the organizers, the PDSZ, did not protect the interests of teachers with such vehemence during the Gyurcsány government.

In the past few days, the Grund youth association and other student groups have put forward the prospect that the "series of demonstrations, strikes and solidarity movements will continue" for the sake of the teachers. As is well known, on Wednesday the teachers, students, the Democratic Union of Teachers (PDSZ) and other organizations announced a demonstration in downtown Budapest for the afternoon after the national strike and picket line in the morning, during which they closed the Margaret Bridge, obstructing public transport and car traffic. The protesters marched from the bridge to the Parliament, and by evening the march reached Kossuth Square, where the number of demonstrators grew to several tens of thousands. Representatives of all opposition parties took part in the movement.

On behalf of the government, László Kövér, the Speaker of the Parliament, responded to the demands in an interview yesterday. Regarding the situation of the teachers, he stated that it is necessary to raise their salaries, because their wages are not fair compared to the work and responsibility they are burdened with. He recalled that, after 2010, the government was the first to think of teachers in relation to the wage settlement, and the current debate is about the pace and conditions under which the cabinet can make changes in a way that is reassuring for everyone. He added:

no strike can help the situation, and existing legislation cannot be set aside in order to use a non-existent legal category to launch a civil disobedience campaign at the expense of children.

As our newspaper wrote, the government submitted the operational programs to the European Commission at the end of July, and the board will have five months to evaluate them. The positive assessment of the operational programs is also significant because the planned improvements in public education would also be implemented from these sources between 2021 and 2027. The total budget of the Human Resources Development Operational Program Plus (EFOP plus) application submitted to the European Commission, including domestic co-financing, is HUF 1,105.23 billion (the amount is indicated at the planning exchange rate of HUF 373.9/euro).

Out of the five humanities fields awaiting development, the largest amount of support, approximately HUF 433.34 billion, was earmarked for making the teaching career more attractive, ensuring the sustainable supply of teachers, and keeping young teachers working in areas of shortage (e.g. mathematics, science subjects) in their careers.

In addition, the government of the XXI. also requested a significant sum of HUF 54.40 billion from the Union for the development of 20th century public education, of which the aim is to prevent early school leaving, develop basic skills and key competencies, and improve the social and professional recognition of those who do pedagogical work. In the framework of the development, I would also encourage the creation of a new continuing education system, the development of new courses, and the retention of teachers.

It seems that the government's efforts to help teachers are not always appreciated by professional organizations. One of the loudest protestors is the PDSZ, which did not always make so much noise when it would have been necessary to stand up for the teachers. Before 2010, during the left-wing government, there were drastic school closures, and in addition, approximately 14,000 teachers were dismissed from their jobs, putting them in a hopeless situation. It seems that even now the left is only paying lip service to the teachers' party, since they did not vote for or abstained from the adoption of the bills with which the government wants to speed up the payment of EU funds and, among other things, the payment of teacher salary increases.

Source: Hungarian Nation

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