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The second step of a permanent pay raise for teachers will be implemented in the coming days, bringing the average teacher’s salary to 80% of the graduate average, reads a press release by the Hungarian representation in the European Commission.
Between 2024 and 2030, the European Union will provide EUR 1.8 billion – HUF 735 billion at current exchange rates – to support the pay increase. In the first years, this will mostly be financed by the EU.
The aim of the permanent pay raise is to make the teaching profession more attractive and subsequently improve the quality and accessibility of education. With the pay increase in January this year, the average teacher’s salary will reach 80% of the average graduate salary, a level that the government will maintain until at least December 31, 2030, in line with its agreement with the European Union, they write.
Since 2017, the European Commission’s country reports and since 2019, the EU Council’s country-specific recommendations have repeatedly highlighted the growing problem of teacher shortages, and that one of the reasons for this is the low salary.
The average teacher salary has been around 60% of the average graduate salary in Hungary, compared to the EU average of 90%. An attractive teaching profession is essential for a high quality education system, and this can only be achieved with adequate salaries, the press release stresses.
Although public services, including education, are the responsibility of the Member States, the EU can provide support for improvements in the quality or accessibility of education. Unusually for Hungary, the EU has included improving the attractiveness of the teaching profession as part of this scope, in view of the needs identified in its country-specific recommendation. This is how EU support to help achieve this goal became possible.
In 2022, Hungary and the European Union agreed on the minimum conditions for a permanent pay raise to make the teaching profession more attractive, and set them out in two documents: the Recovery and Resilience Plan (HET) and the Operational Program for Human Resources Development Plus (EFOP+). Meaningful social dialogue with teachers’ unions is also necessary to improve the quality of education; accordingly, this element is also part of the agreement between Hungary and the European Union, according to the release.
Via europa.eu, Featured image: MTI/Máthé Zoltán