Árpád János Potápi, State Secretary for National Policy of the Prime Minister’s Office, István Román, Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, and Nándor Csapó, President of the Forum of Hungarian Teachers in Croatia (HMPF), signed a theoretical agreement on the development of Hungarian vocational training in Croatia in the town of Eszék.

As part of the series of programmes „2015 Year of Hungarian Vocational Training Beyond the Borders”, the parties conducted talks regarding the opportunities of vocational training in Croatia.

Árpád János Potápi told MTI, the Hungarian News Agency that at present the focus of Hungary’s education policy is being shifted increasingly towards vocational training.

He added: „we talk a great deal about the significance of dual vocational training, and believe that we may only boost economic growth further if we also develop this segment of education, on the one hand, with a view to ensuring the availability of qualified work force and, on the other hand, in order to provide young people with qualifications which enable them to find jobs”.

The State Secretary highlighted that, based on the proposal of HMPF, educational institutions will also be supported in Croatia, and the Hungarian Government will allocate some HUF 12.5 million for development purposes. He pointed out that HUF 500 million will be available this year for the implementation of the programme throughout the Carpathian Basin.

„I would like to draw attention to our flexible transfers scholarship. The essence of this programme is that a senior teacher and five students may come to Hungary to study in a vocational institution and to do apprentice work”, the State Secretary said, and added, he was hoping that students will also come to Hungary from Croatia within the framework of the programme.

Nándor Csapó, President of the Forum of Hungarian Teachers in Croatia stressed in the context of the agreement that the purpose of the agreement is to promote the economy and to create new jobs through the operation of family farms and the establishment of social farms. The agreement signed on Wednesday primarily concerns the field of agriculture, and relates to the development of apprenticeship workshops, further training, and the modernisation and enlargement of vocational schools.

((MTI/Prime Minister's Office))