Teachers to hold nationwide demonstration

"Nationwide parent-teacher conference" is the name given to the October 13 demonstration by the Democratic Union of Educators (Pedagógusok Demokratikus Szakszervezete) in protest of the government's plans to terminate the employment of 15 to 20 thousand teachers, hirszerzo.hu reports.

"The demonstration is basically against the decline in standards of education, and the inadequate imbursement of educators," said Gábor Kerpen, the president of the union. The primary objective of the protest is to achieve "the retraction of those laws and of government decrees that harm the interests of students and educators."

In addition to teachers, parents are being encouraged to attend the demonstration. Kerpen anticipates several thousand participants, and the event is even advertised on television, as, according to him, the problems of the education system effect the entire society.

Although there are five major teaching unions in the country, only the Democratic Union of Educators is taking to the streets. The largest union, the Union of Educators (Pedagógusok Szakszervezete), believes consensus will only be achieved through dialogue with the government.

While the Democratic Union says it is prepared to meet with the government, no such meetings have taken place. If the demonstration does not change the attitude of the administration, Kerpen said they are prepared to go on strike. This would mean that in cities with more than one educational establishment, teachers would lock the school building and would not admit students. "It is impossible to continue working is such conditions," Kerpen added.

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