The series of our labour market yearbooks was launched with the goal of reviewing the main developments in the Hungarian labour market annually, and of giving an in-depth analysis of selected issues. The introductory chapter of the present volume discusses trends and recent changes in employment, activity, and unemployment between 2007 and the first quarter of 2009. The first part of this year’s In Focus presents a descriptive statistical overview of the labour market as seen through the microdata of the European Labour Force Survey. The second part deals with a specific aspect of the labour market, namely vocational training. The authors present a strong evidence that vocational training is an ailing part of the educational system in need of profound reforms. The third part of the book discusses the legal and institutional environment of the Hungarian labour market, while the closing chapter provides a comprehensive collection of statistical data.

For a long time, global educational comparisons suggested that Hungary was well positioned. Enrolment in education has traditionally been high and still two decades ago Hungarian students consistently outperformed their counterparts in much of the industrialised world in international tests of mathematics and science performance. However, the most recent PISA assessment in 2006 showed Hungarian 15-year-olds performing just around the OECD average level in science, Hungary’s traditional strength, and in other subject areas below OECD standards. The challenges which education systems face can no longer be successfully addressed by incrementally stretching 19th century school systems with 20th century teachers to teach 21st century students.

The book provides a science-based perspective for how Hungary can transform its education system to move from “hit and miss” policies to establishing universal high standards, from uniformity in the system to embracing diversity, from managing inputs and a bureaucratic approach to education towards devolving responsibilities and enabling outcomes, from talking about equity to delivery equity, and from a system where schools no longer receive prefabricated wisdom but take initiatives on the basis of data and best practice.