Commissioned by the National Development Center, the HÉTFA Research Institute and MultiContact Consulting conducted an impact assessment of the teacher pay raises implemented under the EFOP Plus program. The analysis, completed in April 2026, presents the results of the first phase of the measures.
The report’s most important finding is that, as a result of the significant salary increases in 2024–2025, the attractiveness of the teaching profession clearly improved in the short term. While the number of teachers actually declined between 2021 and 2023, a turnaround occurred after 2023: the number of teachers began to rise both in absolute terms and relative to the number of children.
The research highlights that the wage adjustment not only helped retain teachers in the profession but also encouraged those who had previously left to return. Based on questionnaire surveys, the proportion of returnees citing financial motivation rose from 5.7% to 23.6%.
Alongside these positive trends, experts note that professional satisfaction is complicated by several factors. Among educators and students, the most critical issues are the performance evaluation system (TÉR, which has since been suspended), heavy administrative burdens, and a lack of autonomy and social recognition. The report emphasizes that, in order to maintain the field’s appeal, it is necessary not only to maintain salary levels but also to address other structural issues.
The full evaluation report can be downloaded at the following link: https://www.palyazat.gov.hu/informacio/ertekelesek/szechenyi-terv-plusz-ertekelesei