Hungarian Parents Protest Edu. System

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) -- Thousands of Hungarian parents are keeping their children home from school to protest the government's education policies.

Reports Monday from across the country indicated that attendance was affected by the protest, especially in high schools. At least 34,000 people had joined the protest's Facebook page.

Two weeks ago, tens of thousands attended a teachers' rally outside parliament in Budapest to protest education reforms that have included extreme centralization, increased administrative tasks and a lack of choice in textbooks.

On Feb. 6, the Hungarian government dismissed the official in charge of public education and vowed to reduce centralization efforts. At the same time, Prime Minister Viktor Orban has tried to present the teachers' grievances as just a salary dispute, even though that has not been a key factor in the protests.

(KA)