Hungary - Country Background Information

Describing the forms of education in the country

The EASIE data collection covers all recognised forms of education at ISCED levels 02, 1, 2 and 3.

This means any type of education organised by or approved by any recognised educational provider in the public or private sector: municipality, local or regional educational provider from the public or private sector, working with/for ministries responsible for education and areas such as health, social, welfare, labour, justice, etc.

What is the compulsory education age range in the country?

In kindergarten, from age 3 to the beginning of school.

In schools, from beginning school (6–7 years) to 16 years.

 

What are the typical age ranges for the ISCED levels?

ISCED LEVEL 02 ISCED LEVEL 1 ISCED LEVEL 2 ISCED LEVEL 3
3-6 7-10 11-14 15-19
Is private sector education covered by the data provided for the country?
Yes

Public education institutions may be established and operated by the state, nationality self-governments and churches registered in Hungary, as well as other organisations or persons, on condition that they have obtained the right to conduct such activity as laid down by statutory provisions. Kindergartens may also be established and operated by local governments.

Is recognised public or private education organised by sectors other than education (i.e. health, social, welfare, labour, justice, etc.) in the data provided for the country?
No
Are there recognised forms of alternative education covered by the data provided for the country?
No
Are there recognised forms of home schooling covered by the data provided for the country?
Yes

The Education Authority can permit home schooling status. Learners who are home-schooled have to take examinations at the end of the academic year.

Identifying an ‘inclusive setting’ in the country

In the EASIE data collection, an inclusive setting is operationally defined as:

A recognised form of education where the child/learner follows education in mainstream classes alongside their peers for the largest part – 80% or more – of the school week.

The 80% time placement benchmark clearly indicates that a child/learner is educated in a mainstream class for the majority of their school week. At the same time, it acknowledges possibilities for small group or one-to-one withdrawal for limited periods of time (i.e. 20% or one day a week).

Very few participating countries can provide exact data on children/learners spending 80% of their time in a mainstream group/class. However, all countries can apply one of three agreed proxies that provide an approximation to this benchmark:

  • Placement in a mainstream class implies over 80% or more
  • Data is available on the number of hours of support allocated to a child/learner
  • Placement in a mainstream class implies over 50% or more.
Are you able to provide actual data to verify the 80% placement benchmark?
No
If no, which proxy are you using
Placement in a mainstream class implies 80% or more
What an ‘official decision of SEN’ means in the country

In the EASIE data collection, the agreed operational definition is:

An official decision leads to a child/learner being recognised as eligible for additional educational support to meet their learning needs.

Countries may have different types of official decision, but for all official decisions:

  • There has been some form of educational assessment procedure involving different people. This procedure may involve the child/learner, parents, school-based team members, as well as professionals from multi-disciplinary teams from outside the child’s/learner’s (pre-)school.
  • There is some form of legal document (plan/programme, etc.) that describes the support the child/learner is eligible to receive, which is used as the basis for decision-making.
  • There is some form of regular review process of the child/learner’s needs, progress and support.
Please describe what an ‘official decision’ is in the country.

The ‘expert activity’ (diagnostic committee) is a duty of the pedagogical assistance service institution. In this case, the pedagogical assistance service institution acts as a professional diagnostic committee. The professional diagnostic committee of the county pedagogical assistance service institution draws up an expert opinion based on a complex psychological, pedagogical-special educational and medical examination. It makes suggestions as to the education of children/learners with special educational needs or facing difficulties in integration, learning or behaviour within the framework of special treatment, as well as the method, form and place of education. The professional diagnostic committee conducts a review procedure one academic year later. The expert opinion must be reviewed in every second academic year after the first review, until the academic year in which the learner reaches the age of ten and every three years thereafter until the academic year in which the learner reaches the age of sixteen.

What educational assessment procedures are carried out and who is involved?

Special needs education is provided in line with the pedagogical assistance service committee’s expert opinion. The head of the committee is a special teacher with professional skills corresponding to the type of disability, and its members are psychologists, medical doctors and specialists. They draw up an expert opinion on the learner examined and based on this they make a proposal for the institution providing kindergarten or school education, as well as for the specific requirements for the learner’s education and teaching.

What formal, regular review processes of a child/learner’s needs, progress and support are linked to an official decision?

The professional diagnostic committee shall conduct a review procedure one academic year later. The expert opinion must be reviewed in every second academic year after the first review until the academic year in which the learner reaches the age of ten and every three years thereafter, until the academic year in which the learner reaches the age of sixteen.

What ‘out-of-education’ means in the country

Within the EASIE data collection, specific questions examine children/learners who are out of education. This means children/learners who should, by law, be in some form of recognised education, but who are out of any form of recognised education. A recognised form of education is any type of education organised by or approved by any recognised educational provider in the public or private sector.

Is there a formal definition of ‘out-of-education’ in the country?
Yes

According to Act on Public Education 2011/CXC, a child may exempt from visiting kindergarten (ISCED 02) until the day of their fifth birthday, on the basis of a request submitted by the parent, if the child’s family circumstances or special situation so justify. Legitimate interests of the child must be taken into account by designated body on authorising the exemption.

Please describe any specific country issues you think are relevant for understanding the data you have provided

The data is taken from the official statistical data collection on public education, which covers recognised forms of education at ISCED levels 02, 1, 2 and 3 except for vocational education at ISCED level 3.