The Hungarian government party FIDESZ wants to drastically cut the number of the high school and university places subventioned by the state, which means the introduction of full tuition fees for the large majority of the students. This measure will increase inequalities regarding education and aggravate the gap between rich families and the rest of the Hungarian people. 

The government makes every effort to turn the social image of Hungary towards the perceived role model of the Horthy regime, where only the children of the well-off families of the ruling class could achieve higher quality education. In consequence of the government decision, children of the poorer families could cover the high teaching fees only by taking credits and start working life enslaved by the banks’ interests.

The demolition of public education, combined with unwavering support for religions, are two sides of the political education of Fidesz, which seeks to prevent any social conscience. Therefore it is necessary to expand the struggle beyond educational policy in order to grasp the broader range of the actual antisocial policies implemented in Hungary. In order to succeed there is a need for common action of all, particularly from the suffering strata of the population: pensioners, disabled and homeless persons, students, women, minorities, Roma people, exploited workers by non-paid extra hours and workers of compulsory communal works.

The Party of the European Left supports the fight of the Hungarian students and the Workers’ Party of Hungary 2006 against the education reform, as well as the fight of all democratic organisations which expressed their solidarity with the students.

12.12.2012