ABSTRACT
In post-modern societies, in addition to the challenges of globalization, the generated social differences become the obstacles to social development. As a result of the political and socio-economic changes of the past decades, the Hungarian education system has to face challenges while the disadvantageous demographic trends also require solution (Halász and Lannert, 2006; Balázs, Kocsis and Vágó, 2010; UNESCO, 2015).
In parallel with the declining birth rate an increase in poverty can be experienced, therefore approximately one quarter of the Hungarian children live below the EU accepted poverty line. Most of these children are Roma (Molnár and Dupcsik, 2008; Kertesi and Kézdi, 2011). Centralization in primary and secondary education together with the gradual limitation processes in higher education are the responses of the national education policy to this situation (OECD, 2015b).
Meanwhile in the framework of the Hungarian integration efforts a paradigm shift can be seen in some selected institutions and among professionals. The role of the inclusive school has become a central issue (Lannert, 2009). Public education can reduce social differences to a less extent (OECD, 2012, 2013; Szabó, 2015). The solution of social challenges requires the development of the participants’ practical skills and abilities and it also needs better academic knowledge (Pusztai, Engler and Revák Markóczi, 2015; Pusztai and Ceglédi, 2015). The present study gives a description of the sometimes complementary, sometimes contradictory Hungarian educational policy and educational development.
