The proportion of Hungarian-language learners has declined less than the proportion of the Hungarian population in Transylvania.Continue reading
Sustainable development requires quality education, said Katalin Szili, the Prime Minister’s Envoy, at a conference titled “The Present and Future of Hungarian Education in the Carpathian Basin,” in Székelyhíd (Săcueni, formerly part of Hungary, now on the Hungarian-Romanian border).
In her speech entitled “The Responsibility of Education in Achieving a Sustainable Future,” the former Speaker of the National Assembly stressed the importance of awareness, cooperation, and dialogue “in this competitive world.”
The politician called responsibility one of the most important issues.
Today, our responsibility is how we can educate future generations on this responsibility, which obviously also means preserving identity (…) and finding our way in this world.”
According to Katalin Szili, sustainable development in the Carpathian Basin also requires a new approach, which must be incorporated in education, including teaching in the national language in various subjects.
In addition to the responsibility to pass on our language, culture, traditions, and history, it is important to “try to make the people you teach aware of their responsibility to live in a livable world,” she said.
In his welcome speech, Ferenc Kalmár, Ministerial Commissioner for the Development of Hungary’s Neighborhood Policy, said that
language and culture are not enough to preserve identity, but that knowledge of literature and history is the main contribution to this.
He underlined the huge responsibility of teachers towards the nation, saying that the preservation of communities beyond the borders depends on teachers.
As Ferenc Kalmár highlighted, the main responsibility of teachers is to identify the talents in their communities.
Speaking about the details of the new education law recently adopted in Romania, Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ) MP Ödön Szabó said that the new law gives more rights to minorities than the previous one.
The education conference in Székelyhíd was attended by Hungarian educators from different regions of Romania, as well as education experts from Felvidék (formerly part of Hungary, now Slovakia) and Transcarpathia (formerly part of Hungary, now Ukraine).
Via MTI, Featured Image via Facebook/Petőfi Sándor Elméleti Líceum