Europe

Hungarian teachers go on strike against govt, demand reforms

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Striking teachers have a light moment in the staff room of Krudy Gyula Secondary School during a nationwide strike of Hungarian teachers in Nyiregyhaza, 245 kms east of Budapest, Hungary, Wednesday, April 20, 2016. Thousands of teachers in Hungary are holding a one-day strike against Prime Minister Viktor Orban's centralization of the education system. (Attila Balazs/MTI via AP) (The Associated Press)

Teachers chat in the staff room in Herman Otto Secondary School during a nationwide strike of Hungarian teachers in Miskolc, 174 kms northeast of Budapest, Hungary, Wednesday, April 20, 2016. Trade unions of teachers called upon the one-day strike among others to force the government to restructure the education system and to reduce the teachers' compulsory classroom hours. (Janos Vajda/MTI via AP) (The Associated Press)

Inscriptions on a door announce a teachers' strike and tell that pupils are looked after also during the strike as a man enters Herman Otto Secondary School during a nationwide strike of Hungarian teachers in Miskolc, 174 kms northeast of Budapest, Hungary, Wednesday, April 20, 2016. Trade unions of teachers called upon the one-day strike among others to force the government to restructure the education system and to reduce the teachers' compulsory classroom hours. (Janos Vajda/MTI via AP) (The Associated Press)

Thousands of teachers in Hungary are holding a one-day strike against Prime Minister Viktor Orban's centralization of the education system.

Wednesday's strike, the first major one against Orban's conservative government, was announced by the country's largest teachers' union. The response by teachers has been strong, with reports of classes being partially or fully suspended at hundreds of schools across the country.

The teachers' union also asked for all unions to halt work at noon for five minutes in solidarity with their demands.

The government has promised some concessions, including fewer classes for students and a reduction in administrative work. The centralized education authority, known by its acronym of KLIK, is also slated to be eliminated.

Teachers have held several rallies and shorter work stoppages in the past months.