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Main providers

Hungary

8.Adult education and training

8.3Main providers

Last update: 9 June 2022

The majority of state-maintained (basic and upper-secondary) general educational schools also offering adult education and training were governed by Klebelsberg Institution Maintenance Centre until 30 June 2015. However, the majority of those providing vocational training are now maintained by the Ministry for National Economy from July 2015. The main institutions of adult education without vocational qualification (primary schools and upper secondary grammar schools) are still governed by Klebelsberg Centre.

Based on the new government's strategy after 2018, the area of adult and vocational training is now the responsibility of the Ministry of Innovation and Technology. The maintainer organized vocational schools in vocational training centres per county (2-3 centres each) with the consideration of the number of students, the structure of the vocation, the labour market and the geographical aspects. There are 40 vocational centres in the country in 2020 with 3872 member institutions in all.  Vocational training centres can also organize and launch formal and non-formal vocational training as well as the preparation for a partial vocational qualification. They are constantly monitoring and responding to the needs of the labour market in the given region.

Based on the current regulations on VET, in a phasing-out system, the acquisition of vocations will take place in VET provided in the school-system. The Technicum includes the option of obtaining an upper secondary school leaving certificate and a technical qualification following a 5-year course (HuQF level 5), the three-year vocational training school(szakképző iskola) gives vocational qualification at the end of the training (HuQF level 4). From September 2020, upper secondary vocational schools (szakgimnázium) are becoming five-year Technicums and secondary vocational schools (szakközépiskola) specialised in a profession are becoming vocational training schools (szakképző iskola), in which the period of training still will be 3 years. For adults, the training time can be shortened by validating their prior knowledge and practice.

Technicum is the institution that lays the foundation of general knowledge, prepares students for the upper secondary school leaving examination and vocational examination and helps further higher education in specialisation and job finding. Technicums have the number of grades specified in the Register of Vocational Occupations (Szakmajegyzék). The vocational training activities of a vocational school include general knowledge and vocational education necessary for the acquisition of the given vocation.

From September 2020, the name ‘upper secondary vocational school’(szakgimnázium) is referring to an educational institution providing five-year artistic, pedagogical and general competences training. It prepares students for upper secondary school leaving examination and obtaining a vocational qualification based on the Act on VET. Upper secondary vocational schools are in an exceptional situation, they fall under the authority of the Ministry of Human Capacities. This Ministry defines the trainings launched in the field of education, arts and culture in case of these institutions.

Besides public school-based education, several church-maintained and privately maintained schools offer school-based adult education.

The maintainers of non-school based institutions (e.g.: churches, NGOs, companies) are free to decide on the profile of their schools and the range of programmes/courses they offer. From 1 September 2020, an adult education activity must be notified, so all the maintainers are obligated to file a notification application. From 1 September 2020, an adult training institution outside the school system cannot offer training leading to a recognised qualification, only preparation for a partial vocational qualification or specialized vocational training.

The development of local equal opportunities programmes, monitoring of specific tasks of equal opportunities mentors became the responsibility of the Directorate-General for Social Affairs and Child Protection (321/2011. (XII.27.) Government Decree). The right to launch and organize tranings to help the employment of disadvantaged adults also belongs to the Directorate-General for Social Affairs and Child Protection.

The local-level responsibility in adult training is limited; it is mainly related to the obligatory training element of public work schemes, where the training participants are selected by municipalities.