The government has set the goal of digitalizing Hungarian public education during this term–declared the State Secretary for Education of the Ministry of Interior on Monday in Szolnok.
Zoltán Maruzsa, speaking at a press conference held at the Széchenyi Körút Sport, Primary and Art School on the occasion of distributing notebooks, emphasized the importance of providing portable computers from the fifth to the twelfth grade to every student who needs them. He added that in today’s ‘digital world,’ these devices are necessary for students to access smart textbooks or digital content created by educators. He explained that the project, launched in 2022, began with procurement. In the first year, 120,000 notebooks were distributed free of charge, followed by 140,000 last fall, and now 193,000 are being distributed. This time, fifth, sixth, and ninth-grade students, as well as educational institutions, received portable computers for free, he noted, adding that parents or guardians could request these devices for their children through the Kréta system (Editors note: Kréta is essentially a platform of digitalized logbooks that contain all important information related to students.) He mentioned that notebooks are distributed at more than 3,000 distribution points not only in state institutions but also in church, minority, municipal, and foundation schools. In Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County alone 4,499 laptops of the total 193,000 will be distributed at sixty-two distribution points.
Mayor of Szolnok Ferenc Szalay stressed that the city places special emphasis on high-quality education and promoting a healthy lifestyle. He recalled that daily physical education started in the town, and every child in Szolnok exercises regularly. While praising the notebook initiative, the city’s leader also warned of the dangers of digitalization, emphasizing the importance of young people using the devices responsibly.
Director of the Szolnok Educational Centre Károly Rusvai reminded that at the beginning of the coronavirus epidemic, schools were not prepared for digital education, but thanks to the flexibility of teachers, Hungarian education switched to digital practically in a matter of days. He added that the lack of devices was a significant problem at that time, underscoring that the government programme greatly helps children participate in digital education.
Director of the Széchenyi Körút Sport, Primary and Art School Emma Paróczainé Kiss highlighted the innovative approach of the teaching staff, who have participated in several training sessions to enhance their digital skills.
According to the press material handed out on-site, by 31 December 2025, 579,000 notebooks will be distributed, of which 524,000 will go to students and 55,000 to teachers.
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