The top schools were celebrated at an event in Budapest’s Castle Garden Bazaar on Thursday, 15 January, which brought together educators, policymakers, and students’ families.

Ranking Philosophy: Performance and Community

Dr Zoltán Szalai, Director General of MCC, opened the ceremony with a reflection on the purpose of ranking schools. Quoting the late American scientist Carl Sagan — “Science is more than a body of knowledge.

It is a way of thinking” — he stressed that data alone cannot capture the full educational experience. Instead, the rankings aim to evaluate schools from two key perspectives: their “healthy performance orientation” and their role in “community building.”

Szalai highlighted MCC’s 20-stop educational tour in the U.S., undertaken with 11 Hungarian secondary school teachers, as a learning opportunity to assess both strengths and areas for improvement in the Hungarian system. Among the findings, he noted that Hungarian students tend to engage more with fine fiction than their American peers.

He also emphasised the importance of inclusive education, noting that guiding an underprivileged student to a high school diploma is just as meaningful as nurturing a high-performing student into higher education. Szalai closed with a quote from early 20th-century Hungarian Minister of Education Kuno von Klebelsberg: “It is not the sword, but culture that can make our Hungarian homeland great again.”

Official Perspectives on the Rankings

State Secretary for Public Education Zoltán Maruzsa acknowledged that school rankings carry responsibility, as high-ranking schools may gain publicity and increased applications, while lower-ranked schools risk being unfairly overlooked. He noted, however, that in the era of widely available educational data, rankings are a practical tool for students and parents making informed decisions about secondary education.

Maruzsa also introduced a new “health index” within the ranking, measuring students’ physical well-being, underscoring a holistic approach to evaluating schools. He thanked attending educators, remarking that “your success is the government’s success.”

Sándor Brassói of OH highlighted the importance of cultivating students’ intellectual curiosity and motivation, while encouraging teachers to embrace innovative methods and professional development. He also emphasized that the ranking is not a closed process but a means to open new opportunities for schools.

International Experience and Continuing Development

Zsolt Wittmann of MCC announced that applications are now open for secondary school teachers to participate in another U.S. study trip, continuing the institution’s commitment to international exchange. He compared the ranking process to debates among sports fans about who is the best athlete: objective data exists, but subjective interpretation always plays a role.

Former European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education, and Youth Ján Figeľ closed the session by reflecting on the role of community in shaping society. Drawing from personal experiences growing up in socialist Czechoslovakia, he encouraged creativity, reason, and humanity as guiding principles in education.

He stressed the importance of talent, technology, and tolerance — “the three Ts” — while reminding attendees that wisdom remains more important than data alone.

Top Schools in Hungary

The ranking evaluated approximately 400 of Hungary’s 800 secondary schools. The top three schools in Budapest dominated the national list:

1. Fazekas Mihály Primary and Secondary Grammar School
2. ELTE Radnóti Miklós Primary and Secondary Grammar School
3. Békásmegyeri Veres Péter Grammar School

In a newly introduced category for sports performance, the Árpád Csanádi Sports School, Elementary and Secondary School in Budapest was recognized as the best-performing institution in athletics.

The annual rankings provide insight for students, parents, and educators alike, highlighting both academic excellence and the broader contributions of schools to community and student well-being.

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