I read an article that Hungary’s teaching profession is rapidly aging, with few young teachers entering while those over 60 increase. Only 6.7% of primary school teachers are under 30, highlighting a shortage of young professionals. The education system faces a deficit of 22,000 employees over five years. In 2023/2024, only 145,589 teachers were employed, with a drop in new graduates entering the profession. Changes allowing retired teachers to be re-employed contribute to the workforce’s skew towards older age groups.
It is understandable. I tell you what my problem is with the teaching profession in Hungary. First of all, the education plan is too strict teachers do not have freedom in choosing the teaching material. This provides a very rigid system which does not have any flexibility.
Secondly, teachers nowadays discipline children instead of teaching. They tell them how to behave, not to talk back, not to smoke, not to drink energy drink. They give instructions all day, which is extremely tiring. The class is about disciplining the students, not about teaching.
Furthermore, they do not have any authority. They cannot tell the misbehaving children, they cannot warn them or raise their voice, otherwise their parents will outrage or beat the teacher up. On the other hand, pointless disciplines are allowed, which do nothing.
And of course, the salary is nothing. Nobody can live on that miserable salary that teachers get nowadays in Hungary. Unless this situation changes, I am not willing to go to teach at a school even if I like what I do.