For the seventh time, the Pedagógus Expo was held on February 22, 2025, at the Budapest Congress Center, attracting great interest once again. The sold-out event welcomed approximately 1,500 attendees.
As one of the most important professional forums in education, the expo aims to provide professional support and reinforcement through a community experience for those dedicated to educating and nurturing children. The event featured specialized lectures across multiple halls, complemented by around 80 professional exhibitors, showcasing tools and resources to support teachers’ work.
Since January 2024, the number of teachers entering the profession has steadily increased month by month. Interest in teacher training programs in higher education is also rising: in 2024, 15,000 applicants chose this career path—double the number from 2022. This positive trend has been supported by initiatives under the Human Resources Development Operational Programme Plus, funded by the European Union. Two key Pillar projects have contributed to this progress: The Teacher Career Model, The Teacher Career Model for Educators Working with Disadvantaged Students. These programs aim to strengthen the teaching profession, improve career stability, and attract more individuals to the field of education.
The first initiative, with a budget of HUF 762.5 billion, aims to make the teaching career more attractive and predictable by improving salary levels. Thanks to the project’s support, the average salary of teachers in Hungary’s public education system will gradually increase and, by January 1, 2025, will reach at least 80% of the national average salary for higher education graduates. This salary increase program will benefit 140,000 teachers.
The second initiative, with a HUF 25.8 billion budget, focuses on teachers working with disadvantaged students. It ensures higher salaries for educators teaching in disadvantaged areas or in schools where at least 10% of students come from disadvantaged backgrounds. By December 31, 2030, salaries in these institutions must be at least 12.5% higher than those of teachers with the same qualifications and experience in other schools. As a result, 20,000 teachers will receive additional compensation in the form of an equal opportunity allowance.
(Source: palyazat.gov.hu)
