Central opening of the school year at the Egan Ede Vocational Training Centre
The central opening ceremony of the Ede Egán Vocational Training Centre of the Ferenc Rakoczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian College of Higher Education was held on 2 October. At the event, teachers and students from the Beregszász, Nagydobrony and Tiszapéterfalva centres celebrated the start of the new academic year together in the Elemér Ortutay Hungarian Greek Catholic College.
The event began with a parade of the historical flags of Transcarpathia, carried into the church by students dressed in national costumes. Afterward, István Marosi, Greek Catholic priest, welcomed the participants.
Following the welcome, an ecumenical service was held. The sermon was delivered by István Marosi, Greek Catholic priest, Zsolt Jónás Bán, Roman Catholic parish priest and Judit Szemere, Reformed pastor.
After our national prayer and the college anthem, the Kuruc-era song Rákóczi Ferenc Bús Éneke, the guests were welcomed.
Zoltán Csirpák, director of the Egán Ede Vocational Training Center, began his speech by reflecting on the past six years. He emphasized that the Egán Ede Vocational Training Center was established with the support of the Hungarian government, through the collaboration and close cooperation of educational institutions from both Hungary and Transcarpathia. The network of institutions was created with the goal of helping as many young people as possible to acquire modern, European-standard professional knowledge.
“In this academic year, our students are mastering sought-after professions such as chef, baker, automotive mechatronics technician, hairdresser, cosmetologist, and refrigeration and ventilation system installer. In the 2024/2025 academic year, 331 students, including 194 first-year students, are beginning or continuing their studies. This is a great joy for us,”
he added.
Károly Pánczél, President of the Committee on National Cohesion of the Hungarian National Assembly, expressed his joy that, in the third year of the war, an indigenous national minority in Transcarpathia continues to maintain an educational system.
“I feel happiness and joy because what is happening here today is a miracle. This is not simply the start of a new school year but a celebration of perseverance, unity, and survival,”
he said.
Following this, we had the opportunity to listen to Szilveszter Ferku performing Dobó esküje.
“It is a joy to see that, despite the challenging circumstances, enrollment rates in our vocational training institutions in cooperation with the Rákóczi College remain stable. This is an important reflection of the fact that collaboration and cooperation can surpass even our most beautiful dreams”
– János Rostás, the chancellor of the Mátészalka Vocational Training Center, emphasized.
Zoltán Papp, Greek Catholic priest and director of the Georgikon Greek Catholic Agricultural and Food Industry Vocational School and College in Sátoraljaújhely, added, “Today, we came to ask for blessings for the new academic year, but even more so for the students and teachers who are starting this year.”
István Csernicskó, rector of the Rákóczi College, emphasized the importance of vocational education in today’s world, which is dominated by artificial intelligence:
“Those young people who are now starting their studies in the vocational education system can utilize artificial intelligence at any time to gather data and information, and to supplement everything they have learned from their teachers. However, they can never do without the sharpness of common sense and the warmth of the human heart.”
Following this, we listened to the song Ungnak és Tiszának performed by Marianna Csákány, a teacher at the Tulipán Tanoda Hungarian School of Folk Music and Folk Art.
After the greetings, the first-year students took their oaths. Next, János Rostás, Ildikó Orosz, president of the Rákóczi College, István Csernicskó, Zoltán Papp and Zoltán Csirpák officially welcomed the newcomers as students of the institution with a handshake. Subsequently, one student from each specialization tied the ribbons of their respective fields to a walking stick. These ribbons will also be placed on the graduation board of the graduating students.
Next, we enjoyed Hungarian folk melodies played on the accordion by the students of the Tulipán Tanoda Hungarian School of Folk Music and Folk Art, under the guidance of their teachers, Nikoletta Sipos and Bertalan Halász.
Afterward, Ildikó Orosz, president of the Ferenc Rakoczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian College of Higher Education, quoted Paul’s letter to the Galatians in her opening speech: “Bear one another’s burdens.”
“We know that life rarely goes as planned. We want to be in control. Humanity has been striving for this for centuries. We want to control and direct our own destinies. We believe that because of our knowledge, intellect, qualifications, and achievements, we can plan everything. We think we can determine our lives in advance, and it will be so. When something doesn’t succeed, we constantly complain, look for scapegoats, and wallow in self-pity instead of seeking solutions. Every day we face decisions. The question is, what decision do we make? Let us dare to ask for help. Our community offers us support. This opening ceremony, the commencement of this training, and everything you first-year students are experiencing is a beautiful example of this. All of this is the result of the unity of the Hungarian community,”
she concluded her speech.
Afterwards, the representatives of the historic churches asked God’s blessing on the freshmen and senior students, the teachers, the staff and all those present.
The ceremony ended with the singing of the Szózat.
Anita Kurmay
-
This article is also available in
Українська
Magyar