According to the Minister of Agriculture, every challenge proves the importance of agriculture and the food industry

More and more students are choosing agricultural courses (Photo: Pixabay)

According to István Nagy, the 2022-2023 school year begins in a troubled period, but the Hungarian agricultural sector can solve all difficulties. He believed that there is a particularly great need for cooperation now, as agriculture is greatly affected by climate change, labor shortages, and rising energy and raw material prices. The challenges will never end, besides the current ones, there will certainly be new ones, so students who choose agricultural education will have plenty to learn both in school and in life, said the minister. The head of the ministry welcomed the fact that the institutions maintained by the ministry have been accepting more and more students for years, 4,638 this year, 5 percent more than in the previous academic year. He believed that this is due to the rising prestige of agricultural vocational training and justifies the efforts of the Ministry of Agriculture (AM) so far.

The network of agricultural vocational training institutions was established in 2013

The agricultural vocational training strategy published in 2019 stated the goal of renewing the content of education and improving the equipment of schools, he indicated. According to the head of the ministry, the work started should be continued by deepening competitive practical knowledge, which, according to him, can be provided by dual training, vocational training centers and Sectoral Training Centers realized in cooperation with agricultural enterprises. The minister also highlighted the creation of the Forestry Sector Knowledge Center, which was the first institution of its kind. Forests occupy a strategic place in agriculture, so the ministry pays special attention to them, he said. For the new academic year, István Nagy wished the teachers good work and the students successful learning. They are grateful for their decision, and they can trust that they can learn from those who themselves are doing a lot for the future of the country, said the Minister of Agriculture.

The knowledge acquired by students represents the future

According to Zoltán Molnár, the director general of the Center for Agricultural Vocational Training in Central Hungary, the role of agricultural vocational training is more important than ever, and it is of strategic importance for Hungary. With the increase in the value of food production, more and more trained professionals are needed, and there is a need for schools that produce interested, committed, creative and environmentally conscious students, he said. Sándor Hajnal, director of the Magyar Gyula Horticultural Technical and Vocational Training School, said that the agricultural vocational training in Kőbány has a history of 120 years, and the high quality of the education is confirmed by many awards and results. At the same time, the school is worthless without students, the future only depends on them, he added.

MTI