Minister's introduction
The Ministry of Education undertook a difficult task over a year ago by establishing the Office of the Commissioner for Educational Rights as no similar institution had existed before in Hungary. The establishment of the institution was prompted by two factors. The first was a need to establish a forum that would be accessible to all participants in the education sector. The second was that it would offer effective assistance when solutions to legal grievances were sought. Also, we considered that unavoidable education related conflicts might be resolved only by respecting one another's rights. The creation of such a policy might also help improve the atmosphere in the institutions themselves. The reconciliation procedure, particularly the personal reconciliation procedure, is already well established as one of the instruments that is available to the Commissioner. In our opinion, it also confirms that the participants and institutions in the education sector have to actively co-operate to enable the educational system to operate in compliance with the law. I also personally support the effort of educational institutions that try to create local assemblies, that operate within the spirit of civilised conflict management, where legal grievances may be remedied and which promote the undertaking of personal and institutional responsibilities. The principle of co-operation is particularly important in the course of the activities of the Commissioner for Educational Rights as well. Since its establishment, the Office has developed a broad range of relationships with institutions in the public education system and with higher education institutions as well as with profit oriented and non -profit organisations in the education sector, child protection groups, other authorities and civil organisations.
I do hope that by this report the Commissioner for Educational Rights will increase the public support for the attainment of the above goals. I hereby grant my approval to the report and I am sure that the position, status and role of the Office of the Commissioner for Educational Rights will grow even stronger in the future. I will also try to promote the Office by the preparation of the necessary legislative bills. The satisfaction of the thousands of people involved and affected, by the more than 600 cases and petitions that were submitted to the Office, are a reflection of the future. It is a fact rather than a ministerial declaration.
The Commissioner for Educational Rights and his colleagues have justified the establishment of the Office and their professional performance thus far is at the same time a guarantee of their future success.
Budapest, 30 March 2001 |
Zoltán Pokorni
Minister of Education
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