On Wednesday, State Minister for Schools László Palkovics said that the Schools Education Round Table remains the proper way of discussing the problems of the schools system; he was referring to a strike announced for today by the “I Want to Teach” movement. He said that today’s action does not serve the interests of either students or teachers, and is thus misguided.

Mr. Palkovics said that the Round Table has already achieved a number of results on the qualification system for teachers and the situation of teachers approaching retirement, while pay increases for teachers and the transformation of the state support system for schools are ongoing. He said that teachers taking part in today’s action will not be discriminated against, but will have to make up for lost teaching time.

Referring to the fact that on Tuesday the Civil Forum for Education initiated a dialogue with the Government, he said that this alternative round table has been invited to the regular meetings of the Schools Education Round Table, and he does not understand why they have refused to participate. Mr. Palkovics said that “the issue of Hungarian education is not a private matter”, and there is no need for separate negotiations.

(MTI, Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister)