The Ombudsman on the employment opportunities of young people unable to get into higher education

Press release:

The Ombudsman on the employment opportunities of young people unable to get into higher education

Young people preparing for their final examination but unable to get into higher education as a consequence of changed student quotas did not – and still do not – have at their disposal career orientation possibilities related to further education or to choices of professions or jobs, clear and easily accessible information material, or professional guidance on the basis of which they could make responsible  and informed decisions. The Ombudsman attributes this to a failure of the competent organs and says that this situation has brought about a permanent and present danger of the infringement of legal certainty; furthermore, it carries in itself the permanent and present danger of infringement of the right to the free choice of a job or profession of young people starting their career.

On the basis of preliminary data, as a consequence of the changed student quotas in higher education and the changes in the system of financing in higher education, the number of those applying to a higher education institution shows a decrease of 30 thousand students in comparison to last year. Within the framework of the Project entitled ‘Dignity of Work', Máté Szabó Commissioner for Fundamental Rights examined whether the competent ministries cooperated in order to assist the employment of unskilled and inexperienced young people who were unable to get into higher education because of the changed student quotas and who might be obliged to take a job.

In the course of reviewing the system of vocational and adult education the Ombudsman has found that at present there is no such official and central forum where secondary school pupils or even youths with a final examination would be able to obtain information on their possibilities in simple and easily understandable form. Available vocational training courses which are recognised by the State are published each year on the website of the Vocational Training and Adult Education Directorate of the Hungarian Labour Inspectorate, but the website format is not suitable to give clear orientation to the readers.

In sum, Máté Szabó, Commissioner for Fundamental Rights has established that no previous calculations were made on the number of those who might not get into higher education. The competent ministries and other competent organs did not take the necessary measures – either at the publication of the student quotas for admission, or since then – in order to help young people unable to get into higher education make responsible decisions on career modification and further education.

The Commissioner for Fundamental Rights has requested the Minister for National Economy and the General Director of the Hungarian Labour Inspectorate to pay special attention to the employment of young people starting their careers and to the availability of information necessary for choosing a job or profession.