Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány at a conference on Friday unveiled the Ft 48 billion "Hungarian Genius Programme" to ensure the nurturing of gifted individuals.

The programme will provide 3,000 grants for Hungarian students at home and abroad; a boarding school for the most able students; 20 scholarships to recall Hungarian scholars and instructors working abroad; 20 fellowships for foreign instructors to enable them to capitalise on their education in Hungary; 150 scholarships for those aiming to study for a doctorate; and a further 150 scholarships for those who have already obtained a PhD.

President László Sólyom said it is a must that politicians get together to join forces in a bid to espouse exceptional students, noting that an ecological and a cultural disaster are in the offing as PISA surveys reveal that the performance of Hungarian students is deteriorating ever more and 80% of adult residents are illiterate or barely literate.

Education Minister István Hiller stressed the outstanding performances of students at the international student olympics.

Entrepreneur Sándor Demján called for vocational education subsidies, while Fidesz deputy spokesman András Cser-Palkovics said "the prime minister speaks of supporting gifted students while depriving hundreds of thousands of able ones from pursuing studies by introducing tuition fees."