The government-sponsored law passed with 134 votes in favour and 60 against.

Teachers will be transferred from the public servant status to public education employee status, while a new number of weekly classes and a performance-based system of salaries will be introduced.

Employers must inform teachers about the changes by Sept. 15, and teachers will have until Sept. 29 to decide whether to accept it. The law will come into force next year.

In the future, the education district centre will have the right to transfer teachers to a different location within the district if the commute by public transport does not exceed three hours.

Monthly salaries for teachers will be set in four bands depending on grading, with the lowest band ranging from 410,000 forints (EUR 1,100) to 1,065,000 forints and the highest from 640,000 to 1,470,000.

The interior ministry said that the new law would boost the average teacher wage to 800,000 forints by 2025, while their maximum classroom time would drop to 24 hours a week.

Paid holidays will increase from 46 days to 50 days, or 10 weeks, and their administrative burdens will be reduced, it added.

“These are the facts, despite the fake news generated by the left wing, their actions and protests ending in violence during the preparation and approval of the law,” the ministry said.

“The preparation, submission and approval of the law was preceded by comprehensive social and professional coordination,” it added.

The significant salary increase for teachers can continue once Brussels transfers the resources allocated to Hungary, the ministry said.

“The left-wing politicians’ actions connected to the law have been hypocritical: demanding a wage increase for teachers at home while they work for monthly 5-6 million forints in Brussels in order to prevent teachers from making 800,000 forints,” it added.

MTI Photo: Péter Komka