Thousands of people gathered outside the parliament building in Budapest on Friday to voice their protest against a law that strips teachers of their civil servant status, Euronews reports.
Critics have branded Viktor Orban's government initiative as a "revenge law." Teachers have been organizing protests for a year, advocating for improved working conditions and higher salaries.
However, in response, they have been presented with a law that, in their view, will significantly escalate their workload.
The primary union, PDSZ, asserts that the recent regulations intensify the pressure on already overburdened and underpaid educators, stripping them of their status as public servants, increasing their workload, and imposing stricter performance evaluations.
Barbara Novak, a literature teacher, expressed her dismay, saying, "I dedicated six years to my education, and I genuinely love my profession. But had I known it would come to this, I would have chosen a different career path."
The country is grappling with a shortage of teachers, with fewer young people showing interest in pursuing a teaching profession. Many educators have pledged to leave their positions if the new law takes effect.
According to EU statistics, Hungarian teachers receive the lowest salaries among all OECD member countries, accounting for a mere 60% of the earnings of other Hungarian university graduates.
The government argues that the new law ensures higher pay for teachers who work more and demonstrate a higher level of academic performance, contingent upon the receipt of EU funding.
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