Demand For 21st Century Education

Hungary: Thousands of students gathered outside the parliament in Budapest Friday to protest against the education system.

The protesters say the system is outdated and focused on rote-learning and they need a modern system that encourages critical thinking, creativity and prepare them for life in the 21st century.

"We, the students have had enough of the oppression and total lack of professionalism that determine our everyday life," Krisztián Kormos, spokesman of the Independent Student Parliament body told Euronews.

"Too much pressure is just a symptom of an out-of-date education system."

In freezing rain, students held banners emblazoned with angry emoticons and messages such as "I can feel I am getting dumber" and "My brain is shrinking."

The right-wing government and Prime Minister Viktor Orban face criticism that they failed to reform education and healthcare.