Hungarian Conservative

‘The character of the educator is a fundamental determinant of the personal development of students, and in addition to professional knowledge, it has therefore been important throughout the centuries to be able to set an example also in the personality of the teacher.’

Discussing philosophy in general and whether it should be incorporated in education is an everyday topic. In this interview, Cornell University professor Barry Strauss delves into the issue, explaining why philosophy is essential in universities, and also shares his take on AI being used in the classroom.

According to Martin Robinson, the essential question about the use of AI in general is whether it is humans who remain in charge of and part of the process, or not.

The question whether parents should be involved in what goes on in the school comes up frequently. In this interview Anthony O’Hear shares his opinion on the topic, while also discussing the issue of examinations and the inclusion of AI into education.

At an event launching the project aimed at improving teachers’ salaries with EU support State Secretary Bence Rétvári reminded that teachers’ salaries nearly doubled over four years, while other governmental measures are also being implemented to increase the number of people choosing the profession.

Political activism in schools, the introduction of politics into the curriculum and the regulation of AI in education are all important questions today. In this interview, Stuart Waiton offers insight into the controversies surrounding these topics.

The event featured insightful and fascinating discussions on the possible revival of classical education, the dangers of political activism in the classroom, and the perils of the use of artificial intelligence in teaching.

Concerning press reports suggesting that an Italian defendant charged with participation in last year’s Antifa attacks is being held in demeaning conditions in a Budapest prison, Gulyás said all detention conditions meet European Union and Hungarian standards. Inmates are given three meals a day, he stressed, dismissing the claim that prison cells are rat-infested. He reminded that foreign inmates are also informed of prison rules in their mother tongue upon admission.

Balázs Hankó underscored Hungary’s strides in scientific and educational excellence, noting that 12 Hungarian universities now rank among the top five per cent globally. He outlined ambitious goals, aiming for one Hungarian university to enter the world’s top 100 by 2030, with three making it into the top 100 institutions in the European Union.

Hungary’s commitment to significantly enhancing educator salaries not only acknowledges the invaluable contribution of educators but also aims to bolster the quality of education by attracting and retaining top talent in the teaching profession. The decision comes as part of Hungary’s broader efforts to navigate pandemic challenges and foster a robust recovery in the education sector.

‘The clashes are ongoing, there is no harmony, they were sent here to carry out the school’s death sentence’, Pál Popovics, an informatics teacher at the school said.

Orbán began his speech by asserting that ‘this year has enormous amounts at stake because the Soros empire, in collaboration with the governing American Democrats, is launching an attack on right-wing media and enthusiastic national parties in many European countries, portraying themselves as Goliaths’.

Two Christian teachers in Escondido, California sued their school district for forcing them to withhold form the parents if their child was identifying as of another gender at school. The US District Court for the Southern District of California ruled in their favour in the first phases of the civil case, granting preliminary injunction prohibiting the enforcement of the school directive, and rejecting the defendants’ motion to dismiss the case.

The Hungarian community in Mukachevo has been harassed in a number of ways by the Ukrainian local authorities over the past year. Beside the attacks on the Hungarian secondary school, the municipality has been waging a war on all Hungarian symbols in the town, ordering the removal of Hungarian flags from public buildings and of the Turul statue from the Munkács Castle.

Earlier this year, referring to a fresh decree, the Ukrainian police removed Hungarian flags from several public institutions in the town, including the Hungarian-language secondary school. Furthermore, without any justification, its director was dismissed overnight. On 15 August, Marija Pauk, an ethnic Ukrainian with no connection to the Hungarian community or the school was appointed to lead the institution.

According to State Secretary Bence Rétvári, this year, 18,845 people applied for teacher training, of which 10,514 were admitted, of whom 9,674 will study on a government scholarship. The number of admitted students has not been this high in the past six years, he stressed.

The Hungarian National Media and Infocommunications Authority (NMHH) has produced a publication titled Are our children good when they play? — A Knowledge Base on Video Games for Parents and Teachers. The magazine-style knowledge base, based on fresh research materials, aims to address parents and educators with informative messages to help them better understand and become familiar with the gamer world.

Alexandra Szentkirályi reiterated that Hungary still does not and will not ship weapons to Ukraine nor will it allow other countries to ship weapons through its territory.

The President said there is a need for teachers who focus on the students, placing them at the centre of their work and keeping their long-term interests in mind.

A new draft legislation has been posted on the government’s website which details plans to increase teachers’ salaries, introduce employment relationships in public education, and make other miscellaneous changes to the public education system.