A Statement of the Transcarpathian Hungarian Pedagogical Association

A Statement of the Transcarpathian Hungarian Pedagogical Association, November 20, 2019

The Transcarpathian Hungarian Pedagogical Association is concerned about the events occuring around the Hungarian-language education in Ukraine: the news about the cancellation of Hungarian-language textbook publishing that have appeared in the media in recent weeks, as well as sharp reductions in the number of native and foreign language lessons in elementary schools, interference with the work of the Petőfi programs operating in Transcarpathia, by the state authorities, etc.

Six months have passed since the election of the new President of Ukraine; the new composition of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and the new government have been operating for over a hundred days, but no positive changes have happened in terms of rehabilitation of Hungarian-language education. The collaboration initiated with the previous Ministry of Education and Science before the election has yielded some minor results, but the major problems have not been resolved. The new ministry has not yet initiated the continuation of negotiations, so the leaders of the Transcarpathian Hungarian Pedagogical Association decided:

1. To ask the Minister of Education and Science in an open letter about the plans of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine on the future of Hungarian textbook publishing.

2. In the spirit of the resolution of the Venice Commission, to compile a list of problems of the Transcarpathian Hungarian-language education and proposals of the organization for their solution, as well as to initiate negotiations with the Ministry in order to eliminate these problems.

The leaders of the Transcarpathian Hungarian Pedagogical Association