Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Higher Education
Following his talks on Saturday, December 15, with student leaders about higher education reforms, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán posted a message on his Facebook page. You can view the video here and an English-language transcript follows below.
The conversation with high school, college and university students has just ended. The conversation was about the fears and insecurities of the students and whether they see a clear and secure future for themselves. The conversation was useful because it can help guide some decisions.
Firstly, we can see that there is a need for simple and transparent guidelines because the current system is so complicated that it just increases a sense of insecurity and unpredictability among students. That is why we need a new governmental proposal that addresses the various questions and simplifies the system. The most important thing that I understood clearly today is that we need to repeat again and again to those that have already begun their studies that they will not be affected in any way by the new regulation. That means that students already enrolled can finish their studies according to last year’s conditions.
The second important thing is that we need to remove this whole debate from what has become an incomprehensible framework. That is, we need to remove it from a system based on quotas. As I see it, students think that quotes cut off opportunities, close them off from the chance to attend the college or university of their choice. That’s why the quota system must be abolished.
What we are talking about here is a transformation of higher education that would primarily affect students currently in high school. I understood that the regulation must make clear that those who wish to study in Hungary, who fulfill the necessary scholastic requirements – that is 240 points today – concerning admissions, and who are eager to study and then work in Hungary, well, they will have the opportunity to study without any indebtedness because higher education must remain free for them.
This is possible, and the minister will prepare a proposal to the government for its cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
