Commissioner for Fundamental Rights Gives Talk at School Year Opening Ceremony of Archdiocese of Eger

On 26 August 2021, Ombudsman Dr. Ákos Kozma gave a talk on the rights of children in public education entitled “…Because Rights and Obligations Are Two Sides of a Coin…” at the Heart of Jesus Church (Jézus Szíve templom) in Mezőkövesd.

The “Veni Sancte” school year opening mass of the Archdiocese of Eger was celebrated by Dr. Csaba Ternyák, Archbishop of Eger and Zsolt Marton, Bishop of Vác, together with the pastors of the public education and vocational training institutions maintained by the archdiocese.

After the religious ceremony, Zsolt Marton, Bishop of Vác and Family Rapporteur of the Hungarian Catholic Bishops’ Conference delivered a speech, which was followed by the talk of Dr. Ákos Kozma, Commissioner for Fundamental Rights.

In his speech, the Ombudsman thanked the teachers for their devoted work and sustained commitment to children's education during the coronavirus pandemic. “The hardships that we have to face these days make it even more clear what an irreplaceable role education plays in the lives of our children and society as a whole, which includes belonging to a community and living in interaction with each other. This is true for all of us, but it is even more so in the case of vulnerable social groups, including children with disabilities, children in need and children benefitting from child protection services”, emphasized the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights.

Dr. Ákos Kozma pointed out that “in the current situation, maintaining the conditions of safe education for our children – i.e. ensuring the enforcement of the right and access to education – requires considerable efforts, especially in the case of those children who are vulnerable for some reason, whether their vulnerability stems from the financial situation of their families, or a disability or health condition. Maintaining the appropriate level of education is a key issue for each and every child. We have to strike a delicate balance between the best interests of children, their safety and ensuring the right to education, and this requires collective brainstorming and a closer cooperation than ever before.”