There are now about 1,200 schools, gymnasiums, vocational schools, and colleges in Hungary, run by 870 foundations, associations, businesses, and individuals.
Education experts note that the demand for private educational institutions in Hungary is increasing from year to year and today there are about 100 candidates for 50 seats. This is largely due to the problems of the state education system.
The current situation with schools in Hungary
In the last couple of years, there has been a crisis in the structure of public schools in Hungary.
One of its most notable consequences was open dissatisfaction with the government’s plans to reform the procedure for enrolling in universities.
The high cost of private education in Hungary does not stop parents, especially since the choice of educational institutions is now huge. This means that you can find the right price, pedagogical concept, and schedule.
The most popular schools in Hungary today are those based on the Montessori, Waldorf, and Rogers systems. They teach children using alternative methods with an emphasis on individualized and differentiated education.
On average, the amount of the monthly installment in such establishments is 30-150 thousand forints, which translates into expenses of up to 1.8 million forints per year.
However, many schools take into account the social status of parents and index prices.
The second most popular form of private schooling is international institutions. There are no discounts here, parental contributions are substantial, and the main contingent is the children of civil servants, diplomats, large businessmen, and wealthy foreigners.
Obuda Waldorf Primary School in Budapest
Self-governing school, which is guided by the principles of pedagogical anthroposophy of the philosopher Rudolf Steiner. The main goal of the educational institution is the deep and diversified development of social skills, physical, mental, and intellectual abilities through
creativity, introspection, and interaction with peers.
Schoolchildren not only gain knowledge about the world but also feel confident and comfortable in it, knowing and understanding their capabilities and ways of using them.
School admission
Now the Obud school has 505 students. The demand for training is great – 100 applicants for 56 places. Therefore, the commission begins to accept applications from parents long before the start of the school year: from mid-January to the end of February. For admission to the first grade, you must provide:
- completed application;
- a child’s questionnaire describing his physical and mental abilities (age, height, weight, when he started walking, talking, and so on);
- medical card;
- birth certificate or guardianship document;
- kindergarten attendance report;
- creative work of the child: drawings, handicrafts, photographs, etc.
There is a simpler procedure for enrolling a student from the 9th grade. If he has already studied at Obuda, he is automatically transferred to senior classes. And for the parents of a beginner, it is enough to send an application to the school’s email address and go through an interview with the administration in February-March. Then the child is taken to the class for a test week. If all parties are satisfied with the learning process, the parents bring the necessary documents.
Cost of education
Monthly tuition fees from 35,000 to 40,000 forints. Prices vary, as the school may meet less wealthy parents. Besides, school lunches are paid additionally, since a third-party organization is responsible for meals in Obud.
Every month, parents are sent an email menu, an application form, and an invoice for the next month: for example, food in September is paid for in August. Depending on the composition of the order, payment is 550-750 forints per day.
Method of teaching
At Obuda school there are classes of 6-7 students. All classes are divided into 2 groups:
1-8 grades. All 8 years of classes are taught by one teacher.
9-12th grades. Pupils are prepared for entering universities.
The school curriculum consists of several interconnected blocks:
Rhythmic section. Children study and write poetry, sing songs, play games. Each lesson lasts 2 hours, after which the students and the teacher discuss the results: who learned what and what conclusions they made.
Mythic lessons. Some of the teachings are similar to traditional lessons. Children are taught Hungarian language and literature, arithmetic, history, philosophy, geography, biology, chemistry, and drawing. Each subject takes 2-4 weeks (era). This form of training contributes to a deeper understanding of the subject, enhances the ability to concentrate.
Foreign languages. They start from the 1st grade. Children are allowed to choose any 2 languages. It is believed that early linguistic education is organically combined with the study of the native language. At the same time, in the lower grades, children only learn to pronounce words and phrases, read poetry and sing songs in a foreign language. From the 5th grade, they pass grammar and writing.
The subject of decorative and applied art. The block includes classes in music, painting, knitting, as well as working with fabric, wood, metal, leather, clay. Subjects such as drama, art history, and aesthetics are gradually added.
Eurythmy. A unique subject for Waldorf pedagogy, which teaches harmonious movements reminiscent of dance and pantomime, combined with poetic speech or music. The purpose of the subject is to teach students a deep understanding of the beauty of music and speech.
Physical Education. A standard set of outdoor games, gymnastics, exercises with a ball, and sports equipment, with an emphasis on team interaction of students.
Grades are not given at school. Instead, at the end of the year, the teacher prepares a written development report for each student, which is first sent to the parents and then discussed with the child.
In the traditional sense, there are no textbooks at school. Each student from the first year of study, under the guidance of a teacher, starts his workbook, where he fixes what he learned in the lesson and supplements the text with drawings. In high school, teachers recommend books and periodicals from the school library, based on which you can take notes, prepare lectures and homework.
The curriculum includes a fixed number of teaching hours for each class:
- 1st grade – 20 hours a week;
- 2nd grade – 22 hours;
- 3rd grade – 24 hours;
- 4th grade – 25 hours;
- 5th grade – 26 hours;
- 6th grade – 28 hours;
- 7th grade – 30 hours;
- 8th grade – 32 hours;
- Grades 9-12 – 32 hours.
Classes at school last from 8:00 to 16:00 with breaks for breakfast and lunch.
Waldorf School Zuglo
The curriculum, methodology, and concept of teaching at the school, as well as the rules of admission, are similar to those of the Obud school. For 2019, a set of 76 students has been announced, which are divided into 9 study groups of 7-8 people.
Monthly payment of 40,000 forints. Besides, parents pay a registration fee of HUF 60,000. Meals are paid on the 15th of each month at the rate of HUF 900 per day.
Alternative High School of Economics
In the classroom at the educational institution, much attention is paid to achieving short-term success and solving current problems and tasks. There is no evaluative control, each child is free to choose areas of study that are interesting for him. Even though children are engaged in groups of 8-10 people, an individual approach is applied to each student.
The main course of subjects includes the study of native speech and foreign languages, mathematics, digital literacy, social studies, cultural studies, and the basics of entrepreneurship.
Reception
Applications are accepted from December to February. The school committee then selects no more than 180 families and interviews them. Results are reported no later than April.
The study lasts from 23 August to 20 June. As a rule, open days are held for parents of future schoolchildren in December.
When registering for the school, you must present:
- completed application;
- copy of the birth certificate
- 1 photo of a child;
- a medical card with information about the child’s allergies, sensitivity to certain drugs and food.
Cost of education
The monthly fee of HUF 100,000 includes food and textbooks. At the same time, parents can offer the school a large amount – in this case, part of the funds will go to scholarships.
Method of teaching
Classes 1-7. In the first 6 grades, the emphasis is on project learning and the development of interaction skills. Key subjects: native speech, foreign languages, social studies, mathematics, physical education, basic computer skills, creativity. In the 7th grade, most of the teaching hours are occupied by the second foreign language (Italian, French, German), physical education, and information technology. At the end of the school year, children are sent for 9-10 days to the language zone to practice the acquired communication skills.
Classes 8-11. In the 8th linguistic class, they are engaged in an in-depth study of the English language. Then, the subject course again includes native speech and literature, natural science subjects, IT literacy, physical education. Also, students are taught the basics of doing business.
Classes 12-13. Higher secondary education, which is distinguished by independent in-depth training in selected subjects and programs. Here students are offered: Hungarian literature, history, foreign languages, mother tongue, mathematics, natural sciences (physics, chemistry, geography, biology), social studies and economics (psychology, social geography, ethnography), art.
At the end of the training, each student takes exams in 5 selected subjects.