The Deputy State Secretary responsible for youth spoke about the importance of finding as many outstandingly talented young people as possible on Monday in Szolnok, at the Endre Czeizel Memorial Conference - Talent at the Center.
Zsófia Nagy-Vargha said in her presentation "New directions of talent management in Hungary": the National Talent Program established in 2008 was transferred to the Ministry of Culture and Innovation (KIM) a year ago, and the state can provide more and more resources for the operation of the program.
He announced that approximately HUF 4.5 billion is currently available to support talents, of which HUF 1 billion is for the Stipendium Peregrinum scholarship program.
He also reported that the National Talent Program offers many scholarship opportunities to young people, for example, you can apply for the National Young Talent Scholarship from the age of eight.
He touched on the fact that there are talent points and that Hungarian talents from across the border can also apply for scholarships.
Several professional programs are implemented at the National Talent Center, he said. As an example, he mentioned the Snétberger Center for Musical Talent, where they search for children who play musical instruments and who, due to their disadvantaged situation, receive an education far below their abilities. He mentioned that a talent center is also being operated in London, from where young Hungarians will hopefully be able to "channel their knowledge back home".
Zsófia Nagy-Vargha alluded to the fact that the National Talent Center previously introduced a test-based "talent identification tool system" to public education institutions.
This is "dusted off" by the National Talent Program, and in the fall I would like to introduce the measuring device to a hundred public education institutions again, which will show what a child is talented in and where he or she is oriented.
They also want to create an open and transparent system for all social strata: the essence of the Teach for Hungary program is to reach every corner of the country, even to places where it is difficult to discover talent.
The network of the National Talent Program, the system of qualified talent nurturing workshops, consists of 43 secondary education institutions, he said, adding: the institutions apply for the title and receive additional support so that the teachers working there can deal with their own students as they see fit; they can buy tools and receive extra allowances for talent management.
Zsófia Nagy-Vargha called it an additional goal to make use of talents. In the Start scholarship program, for example, young talents with entrepreneurial affinity are supported not only financially, but also with training. I would like to introduce this program to secondary schools as well - indicated the deputy state secretary.
He also mentioned that they would like to create a "resource map" that would help the given child and his family see what opportunities there are for talent development in the given region. The recording of the data has already started, according to the plans, it will become a user-friendly application and website, where you can find information.
In addition, this year is also about new talent management programs. They would like to place more emphasis on natural science subjects from autumn, there will be programs open to applications.
They also plan to provide as many competition opportunities as possible for young people in Hungary, for example, they will organize the world competition for young physicists in 2024.
He also spoke about the fact that KIM established a scholarship for talented teachers as part of the National Talent Program. The affected teachers can apply for a net scholarship of HUF 75,000 per month, for 10 months, from September to June. Teachers of mathematics, physics, biology, chemistry, geography, IT, Hungarian language and literature, history or singing and music who have worked in a secondary education institution for at least three years can apply for the call. More than 1,600 people will be able to take advantage of this opportunity in the academic year that is starting now.
Present at the event were Benjamin Czeizel, grandson of Endre Czeizel, Mária Kállai, Fidesz member of parliament of the region, president of the Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok Talent Support Council; Ferenc Szalay (Fidesz-KDNP), mayor of Szolnok, and Gabriella Hajnal, president of the Klebelsberg Center. The conference was organized by the Hungarian Gifted Care Society, the Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok Talent Support Council, the Szolnok Training Center and the Gábor Szegő Primary School in Szolnok.
MTI
