A topping-out ceremony was held to mark the development of the historic school in Nagykálló

The aim of the development work taking place at this institution, which has a history stretching back more than a century and a half, is to create a modern infrastructure for vocational training that meets today’s educational needs. 

A new teaching building will be connected to the existing one 

A new three-storey teaching block is being built on the school grounds, directly connected to the existing school building. The extension – which is being carried out by the „KE-VÍZ 21” Zrt. – six new classrooms, storage rooms, toilets, communal areas and an impressive assembly hall will serve the school.

A hall of residence is also being built as part of the project 

As part of the project, a four-storey hall of residence will also be built, providing accommodation for around 150 young people. The four-bed rooms will each have their own shower, and there will also be staff rooms and kitchenettes on each floor.

The hall of residence will be closely connected to the school buildings, ensuring that students can travel between them comfortably and safely.
As part of the development, parking spaces for at least 96 vehicles will also be provided on the site. 

Over 150 years dedicated to education and learning 

The history of the institution dates back as far as 1868, when the Szabolcs County Savings Bank Association initiated the establishment of a secondary school through a community effort. The school actually began operating on 3 October 1870: it was then, at 9 o’clock in the morning, that the first day of lessons took place with 57 enrolled first-year pupils.

From the very beginning, the focus has been on education with an economic and industrial outlook, built on practical knowledge, which continues to define the institution’s profile today. The technical college continues to offer a wide range of courses – from IT to finance and tourism – thus providing students with up-to-date, marketable skills based on traditions stretching back more than a century and a half.

Several speakers at the ceremony emphasised the significance of the project. The institution’s management and representatives of the vocational training centre cited the growing student numbers as the reason for the need for expansion, whilst government and regional stakeholders highlighted the strategic role the development plays in vocational training.

After a long period of preparation, the project has finally come to fruition

Ildikó Szabóné Lipkovics, the headteacher, recalled in her speech that the need to expand the school and create new classrooms had already been identified back in 2019. At that time, few believed it would come to fruition, but the persistent preparatory work eventually bore fruit. The headteacher thanked everyone involved in the project, before emphasising:

„This building will belong to our students. To the young people who are laying the foundations for their future here, and for whom the hall of residence is not merely a place to stay, but a communal space and a home away from home.”

A development covering nearly 4,000 square metres is being built

János Rostás, Chancellor of the Mátészalka Vocational Training Centre, outlined the technical and financial scope of the project. As he explained, the development of the barrier-free building complex will cover an area of nearly 4,000 square metres.
Speeches were given at the event by Sándor Czomba, State Secretary for Employment Policy, and Miklós Simon, Member of Parliament.

Once the structural work is complete, the interior work will follow

As part of the ceremony, a time capsule was laid, and then, in keeping with tradition, a wreath was placed at the highest point of the building.
With the structural work now complete, the project is entering a new phase: in the coming period, the focus will shift to the interior works, whilst the modern educational and residential environment that will serve the region’s vocational training in the long term is becoming increasingly tangible.