The first nursery schools in Hungary opened in 1891. Hungarians believe that young students benefit from early socialization with other children and learn not only from the teacher but also from one another. Today, all Hungarian children must attend the last year of nursery school to prepare them for formal schooling. Daycare for children between three and six is free. Education is compulsory and free for all children between six and eighteen. The school day normally starts at 8 a.m. and continues until 1 or 2 p.m.
There are three types of secondary schools. Grammar schools provide academic education. Business vocational schools teach students business skills such as accounting, as well as offering a general education. Vocational schools are attached to industry and teach students a trade. Hungary has a good reputation for science education. Subjects such as chemistry, physics, geometry and trigonometry are introduced in elementary school. In international tests, Hungarian teenagers usually excel in math and science. Hungary also has an excellent system of music education, which was established by the Hungarian musician and composer, Zoltán Kodály.
Although Hungarian is the official language in schools, learning a second language has always been compulsory. At one time most students learned German. During the communist regime they had to learn Russian. English is now the first choice of most students. Bilingual schools in certain areas of Hungary that are populated by minorities help Serbs, Croats, Romanians, Ukrainians, Slovaks and Slovenes maintain their ancestral languages. Private schools also offer a variety of subjects to suit students' needs. Most religious schools were closed during the communist regime. Now the Catholic Church has reopened several seminaries and high schools. Other churches are also reopening their own schools. Only 40% of Roma children complete elementary school. Some leave school in order to work. The Hungarian government has made efforts to help these children finish school. Rajkó, a special Gypsy music school, prepares students for work as professional musicians.	Did you know?       Famous Hungarian scientists include Leó Szilárd, chief physicist on the Manhattan Project which developed the atomic bomb for the United States; Dennis Gábor, who won the 1971 Nobel Prize for pioneering laser holography; and Edward Teller the physicist known as the "father of the hydrogen bomb."
All healthy 18-year-old boys must serve in the military for nine months. Drafts take place twice a year. Most young men continue their education at university after they have finished military service. Hungary has ten universities. Entrance requirements are very high. University programs usually last five years, and students are tested in oral and written examinations.