Education Law and Administration in Hungary

Hungarian education has a long history and faces challenges even today. In our study, we have presented the history of the development of educational administration and the cornerstones of today’s education system. We have seen how, from 1777 onwards, the government has been responsible for education by involving churches and civil actors in public service. Today, we find in Hungary an administrative (management and legal guarantee) system that has been overhauled several times and which, overall, fulfils its function. The right to education can be asserted, and the law has created a system of legal protection with several levels and actors. The legislation protects vulnerable groups of society, particularly children and people with special educational needs and disabilities. Furthermore, the major international ranking show a medium-grade educational outcomes. However, there is a great social and professional need for further reforms, because the system has serious misfunctions, which are professionally reflected in the practice of rights protection mechanisms (e.g. ombudsman and education rights commissioner). The study also looks for possible solutions that could help the Hungarian education system to break the current developmental deadlock.