From the start of the new academic year, Hungarian teachers living outside the country’s borders will be eligible to apply for a national teacher ID card. Additionally, schools in Hungary can now receive supplementary funding for students returning from abroad. The announcement was made on Saturday by Katalin Balatoni, the Prime Minister’s Commissioner for Promoting Pedagogical Innovations and Strengthening a Family-Friendly Educational Environment, during the Carpathian Basin Reformed School Year Opening Ceremony held at the Reformed High School of Szentendre.
According to Balatoni, the new measures serve to strengthen the sense of unity among Hungarians worldwide. Schools can apply for additional support when admitting students who have spent at least two years abroad in educational institutions where Hungarian was not the language of instruction. These students will receive five hours of personalized weekly sessions across various subjects to help them integrate into the Hungarian public education system.
Katalin Balatoni, the Prime Minister’s Commissioner for Promoting Pedagogical Innovations and Strengthening a Family-Friendly Educational Environment, Photo: MTI/Kovács Attila
In today’s rapidly changing world, it is crucial for both parents and teachers to provide children with a sense of security,” said Balatoni. “Education must also respond in time to the evolving circumstances.”
She added that solid foundations and strong support systems are essential, noting, “We are in a good position because we have a strong nation, strong faith, and a strong culture.” She emphasized that the deepened bond between Hungarians within and beyond the country’s borders since 2010 should be seen as a gift, not taken for granted.
Balatoni also stressed the importance of fostering a family-friendly educational environment, where love and knowledge go hand in hand.
Zoltán Fürjes, Deputy State Secretary for Church and Minority Relations, highlighted the dual role of teachers in Reformed kindergartens and schools—not only as educators but also as spiritual role models. “For many, teachers are the first or only point of contact through which they form an image of God,”
he said in his welcome address.
He noted that while this mission is not a state responsibility, supporting it is, because it represents a societal interest and national calling. That is why the government continues to support the growing role of churches in the education system, he explained.
Currently, faith-based institutions account for 18% of Hungary’s public education system. Within Reformed institutions alone, 67,000 students are enrolled—a number that climbs into the millions when counting families, congregants, and the broader cross-border Hungarian community.
Fürjes emphasized that supporting the establishment and operation of kindergartens and schools abroad is vital, as these institutions uphold both Christian and Hungarian identity.
Bishop József Steinbach of the Transdanubian Reformed Church District remarked that despite declining demographic trends, the number of students enrolled in Reformed education continues to rise. In the 2025–2026 academic year, nine new institutions will open under the Reformed Church’s stewardship, bringing the total to 220 schools staffed by 2,000 teachers, educating 67,000 students.
Reverend Viktória Katona, Executive Director of the Hungarian Reformed Church Aid Foundation, reported that following a recent donation campaign, 1,686 students across the Carpathian Basin received school bags and supply kits. This week, donations were delivered to the children’s home in Nagydobrony (Transcarpathia) and to the Sámuel Foundation, which coordinates a foster care network in the region.
Via MTI; Featured image: Pexels
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