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The Turbulent Years of the Greek Catholic Education System After 1989
167-173Views:127The present study focuses on the revival of denominational education in Hungary after the nationalisation of schools in 1948. It focuses on the decisive role played by Act IV of 1990, which created the legal and infrastructural conditions for the independent operation of denominational educational institutions. The law guaranteed freedom of religious belief and assembly, fostering the emergence of a pluralistic society that recognised the role of Churches in education. The analysis explores the relationship between social attitudes towards church schools and the political situation after the change of regime, and also examines the school takeovers in the Greek Catholic Metropolian Church. Surveys show that the reopening of church schools has received considerable public support, reflecting a nostalgic longing for pre-nationalisation educational values amid dissatisfaction with state education. At the same time, social divisions emerged, with some fearing the re-emergence of religious influence in education and others arguing for a greater role for the churches. The case study on the re-engagement of the Greek Catholic Church in education highlights difficulties such as funding and the need for consensus on educational values among stakeholders. The research draws on interviews with key figures in the Greek Catholic community and relevant literature to illustrate the nuanced dynamics at play during the transition period. Ultimately, this study contributes to our understanding of how historical context, legal frameworks and social attitudes shape contemporary educational policy in Hungary.
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SOCIAL EXPECTATIONS IN THE CHOICE OF THE RIGHT EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION
35-47Views:188More than 1000 public educational institutions maintained by the church work in Hungary currently, therefore recently the denominational public education has turned into a current question again. The expansion can be originated for several reasons, to which as a starting point the law of 1990 may be considered which takes action on the freedom of conscience and religion. As a result of this since the change of the regime, the church has become a school maintainer, too, which means new challenges and continuously sets new expectations for it. Denominational schools as publicly financed institutions have to meet their educational mission with the states and the school selectors’expectations. Several researchers have examined the determinants of school selection on both international and national levels (Bell 2009, Denig et al. 2009, Dronkers 1995, Ferenc-Séra 2001, Kertesi 2014, Korzenszky 1997). We may presuppose that the school - as the device of social mobility - shows the opportunity for the child's prosperity in the parents' eye. The determinants of selecting a school may be changing in each country and age, yet there are factors that can be considered relatively constant like the residential area, the parents’ social status and educational level, their piety and cultural capital, their faith in the school as the device of social mobility, their image of the future and their knowledge on the opportunities of selecting a school. Furthermore, the content and coherence of the family may also be determined. We may assume that the motivation of the school users selecting either a denominational or a state or a foundation school can be different. Also, it can be probable that the school level –primary or secondary– influences the attitudes of school selectors. The aim of the present study is both to show the results of a questionnaire empirical research conducted among students choosing schools maintained by the church, and by putting the results in an extended conceptional framework to find such social correlations that may help to recognise the expectations and scruples drawn to the churches as school maintainers.