Hungary Provides 81,000 Students with School Packages Alongside Free Textbooks

This year, all Hungarian schools have once again received free textbooks and additional teaching materials, Parliamentary State Secretary Bence Rétvári announced at a press conference held at the Szent-Györgyi Albert Primary School in Budapest. He underlined that textbook provision in Hungary is completely free of charge and forms part of the country’s family support system. Families do not need to pay, and children in public, church-run, or private schools are guaranteed free textbooks from first grade through to their final year in both general education and vocational training.

Rétvári recalled that before 2010 families had to pay for textbooks, a burden that would today cost tens of thousands of forints per child each year. He added that the government has allocated 19 billion forints from the national budget in 2025 to ensure that textbooks and other essential learning materials remain free for all students.

In addition to textbooks, the government is also providing support to disadvantaged children at the start of the 2025/2026 academic year. At a separate press event, State Secretary for Social Opportunities and Roma Relations Attila Sztojka announced that 81,000 students will receive free school supply packages, ensuring they have the tools they need for learning. He stressed that the Hungarian government prioritizes helping disadvantaged families through education and employment opportunities, and that special attention is given to children from vulnerable backgrounds.

The programme is carried out by the Klebelsberg Centre under project EFOP, titled ‘Basic material support for disadvantaged families with school-age children’. Launched in 2024, it will run until the 2029/2030 school year, with plans to distribute a total of 430,200 supply packages to primary school students in both state and non-state institutions. The initiative is funded by the European Union through the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), with co-financing from the Hungarian state, ensuring nationwide coverage and inclusion of children living outside targeted regions. The total value of the six-year programme is 6.9 billion forints, with this year’s 81,000 packages accounting for over 520 million forints.

Sztojka explained that packages are provided to students in grades 1 to 8 who attend day classes in designated districts, particularly those from families receiving child protection benefits, as well as from disadvantaged or multiply disadvantaged backgrounds. He noted that over the past 15 years the government has established an institutional framework for inclusion, supporting children’s talents and diligence through initiatives such as Sure Start Children’s Houses, the Tanoda programme, the Útravaló scholarship system, and the Roma College Network.

President of the Klebelsberg Centre Gabriella Hajnal highlighted that the organization has overseen the distribution of supply packages since 2019, ensuring they reach not only state-run but also other schools under its supervision. A team of experts carefully tailors the contents of each package to the needs of each grade level.

The packages, now reaching more than 2,300 schools, are being distributed in time for 1 September so that students will begin the school year with both free textbooks and supplies in hand.

Read more:

The post Hungary Provides 81,000 Students with School Packages Alongside Free Textbooks appeared first on Hungarian Conservative.