The State Secretary for Higher Education called the increase a very important step forward.Continue reading
Under the Interior Ministry’s proposal, school and kindergarten teachers’ salaries will rise by an additional 21.2 percent on average from January 1.
In a statement, the ministry announced that following professional and social consultations, the government will submit the details of the pay raise for teachers for public consultation. According to the proposal, the salaries of school and kindergarten teachers will rise by an average of 21.2 percent from January 1 next year, and the pay rise will affect 140,000 teachers working in public education and vocational training.
For the 2025 wage increase, the government has earmarked HUF 339 billion (EUR 821 million) in the 2025 budget, while the draft budget also sets aside HUF 323.5 billion (EUR 784 million) in 2025, to build up the base for the 2024 wage increase. The draft budget also earmarks HUF 190 billion (EUR 460 million) for teacher pay increases in 2026.
They added that 88 percent of the funds needed to raise teachers’ salaries will be provided by the Hungarian government, and 12 percent by the European Union.
The ministry also noted that the government will provide a 21.2 percent higher wage increase compared to 2024, which will be differentiated by the employer on the basis of the detailed rules.
Under the proposal, the wage of trainees starting their careers will rise to HUF 640,900 (EUR 1,310) in 2025, with the band limits for each grade also increasing. The ministry recalled that in 2010, the average salary for trainees was HUF 129,500 (EUR 314), rising to HUF 528,800 (EUR 1,280) in 2024.
They said that the teaching of certain priority subjects – such as mathematics, chemistry, biology, physics, geography, natural sciences, digital culture – will result in a salary increase of seven percent in 2025, instead of the four percent already guaranteed in 2024.
Those who work with disadvantaged children will also see a bigger pay increase. They added that the pay of teachers in catching-up or beneficiary municipalities should continue to be 20 percent higher.
The ministry also stressed that
the government’s commitment is that the average salary of teachers should reach 71.8 percent of the average graduate salary in 2024, and 80 percent in 2025.
Via MTI, Featured image: MTI/Máthé Zoltán