The Hungarian Government will spend 10 billion forints (EUR 32.1 million) on improving public education infrastructure, of which 3 billion forints each (EUR 9.62 million) will go towards building swimming pools, gymnasiums and classrooms, and one billion (EUR 3.21 million) will be spent on kindergartens, Minister for Human Resources Zoltán Balog said on Friday at a press conference in the northeast Hungarian town of Diósgyőr.

He pointed out that the goal set by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was that each district should have at least one public swimming pool. Mr Balog said the swimming pool program will span several years, with work on the first 26 pools beginning this year. He also said that the list of locations is not yet final and the Government will take into consideration requests from municipalities.

“Every forint we spend on mass sports will result in a triple saving in healthcare costs” the Minister said. He added that the planned gyms will come in four sizes – from small, 12 by 24 meter gymnasiums up to large halls complete with grandstands. Regarding classrooms, in the first phase the Government plans to construct 120 new classrooms, which will improve studying conditions for 3,000 pupils, Mr Balog said.

He also said that in addition to the national budget’s funds for kindergartens, EU funding will also be available, enabling the construction of 54 new kindergartens and thereby increasing the number of kindergarten places by 5,439 this year and another 2,254 by September 2015.

(Ministry of Human Resources)