The Diploma Rescue Programme planned by the Government, which supports the language studies of those who only require a certificate of foreign language competency to obtain their higher education degree, is expected to assist some 10 thousand young people through a HUF 3bn fund. In Hungary, at least a B2 (intermediate) level language exam is necessary to obtain a diploma, but universities have the right to set higher standards.
Minister of State for Employment Sándor Czomba said at the press conference where the programme was presented that those Hungarian citizens who have hitherto failed to receive their diploma as they have no foreign language competency certificate, but who have already passed their state exams, are no longer students in a legal sense of the word and are not older than 35 years of age will be entitled to join the programme. He added that no age limit will be set for those receiving childcare benefit or allowance and registered jobseekers will be given priority.
According to the latest data, there are 49,370 persons who only need to obtain a foreign language competency certificate to receive their diplomas. In the opinion of Sándor Czomba, this “unused capital” must be activated and the Government hopes that the Programme, which is expected to be launched in March and end on 15 August 2015, will facilitate this process.
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As the Minister of State pointed out, the Government aims primarily to channel those who already have an elementary knowledge of the language to English and German language courses. No certificate of proof will be required, as teachers will decide whether the applicant has a sufficient level of competence. Plans are also underway to add French language to the initiative.
The subsidy will cover the costs of a 240-hour course, up to a total of HUF 300 thousand per person. Participants will only have to finance the closing exam of the course, but registered jobseekers may obtain their first foreign language competency certificate free of charge, Sándor Czomba stressed.
He highlighted the fact that the unemployment rate for those below the age of 25 years is 25-27 percent in Hungary, while for those with higher education diplomas it is 6 percent, indicating that obtaining a diploma brings them into a better position on the labour market.
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The amount of HUF 3bn earmarked for the programme will be disbursed from the education budget of the National Employment Fund, and through a two-stage tendering process during which the educational institutions and then the participants will be selected.
Speaking about deadlines, he said that the tenders would be announced until the end of January, while a decision on educational institutions is to be made at the end of February with courses scheduled to begin from the end of March.
(Ministry for National Economy)
