The Hungarian government has implemented a new vocational school system to help students pass their final school-leaving exams and to smooth their way into tertiary education.
László Palkovics, the innovation and technology minister, revealed that under the government’s strategy dubbed “Vocational Training 4.0”, the courses of vocational schools offering final exams will be restructured to take five years, with the vocational exam incorporated into the final exam.
The minister said students in lower-level vocational schools will be supported by a government grant and those in dual education will be offered a contract to earn wages during their studies. Those dropping out of formal education will have the opportunity to finish their education in so-called vocational workshops, he added.
The government sees it as a priority to modernize vocational training so that it can face new challenges surfacing in the labor market, economy and technology, Palkovics said.
The students must acquire competitive skills that are in high demand in the labor market to ensure a secure living and high income, he said. The Vocational Training 4.0 strategy was developed in cooperation with representatives of the profession, taking the Austrian system as a model, Palkovics noted.