Debrecen4U
June 13, 2025
Debrecen SZC Péchy Mihály Construction Technical School celebrates its 75th birthday
The past, present and future were discussed at the event celebrating the 75th birthday of the Debrecen SZC Péchy Mihály Construction Technical School on Thursday. The jubilee event, held in the institution’s gymnasium, was a value-transmitting, tradition-creating, and future-orienting occasion. Following the speeches, the participants laid a wreath at the statue of Mihály Péchy and placed a time capsule in the school’s courtyard.
The history of construction education in our city goes back many decades; the Wood and Metal Industry Vocational School established in Debrecen in 1908 was the first to provide an opportunity to teach construction trades in the city. The institution has continuously developed and transformed, adapting to the changes of the time. In 1945, the Construction Department was established on Széchenyi Street, and in 1950, the school moved to the building on Varga Street. Many changes have occurred to this day: in 1951, the 5th High Construction Technical School was established.
On 7 April, 1966, the school took the name of the architect and general of the Faculty of Engineering, Mihály Péchy. In 1966-1967, in connection with another school reform, vocational secondary school education began. From 1973, the institution became the basis for technician certification for those who have completed secondary school and have certification of construction and construction engineering. In 1987, building engineering technician training was introduced.
In 1993, the Vocational Education Act was enacted, and education subsequently took place within the walls of the Péchy Mihály Construction Vocational School. In 2015, with the establishment of vocational training centres, the school came under the maintenance of the Debrecen Vocational Training Centre, first under the name Debrecen SZC Construction Vocational School, then Debrecen SZC Péchy Mihály Construction Vocational School.
In 2019, with the introduction of Vocational Education 4.0, a new school name and training form were associated with the new vocational education act, and the institution became Debrecen SZC Péchy Mihály Construction Technical School.
The head of the Debrecen SZC Péchy Mihály Construction Technical School, Anna Nagyné Kricsfalussy, said in her speech that the main message of the ceremony is that the past represents value but also determines and lays the foundation for the future. The past carries within itself those who taught and learned, those who worked and sacrificed for the institution, and also a legacy that is not only a memory but also a compass.
“History is also the foundation of the future, a solid foundation on which to build,” she pointed out. On the anniversary, the school community not only commemorates the past but also reinterprets its mission: how to build a future from the values of the past. The principal spoke about the specificities of the construction industry, building engineering, and the wood industry and recalled the merits of the school’s namesake, and then concluded by saying that after 75 years, the current school leadership still believes that the most important things should not only be built but also passed on so that those who come after them know where they come from and where they are headed.
Mayor László Papp said on the anniversary that the celebration is not only important for us to be together and commemorate the events of the recent past but also provides an opportunity to take stock. “Péchy is a school that, in addition to its rich past and experience, also shows a bright future in the city,” he stated.
He emphasised that Péchy is not just an institution but one of the city’s defining knowledge bases, which has served the development of Debrecen from an educational, economic, and cultural perspective for three quarters of a century. The knowledge acquired here, the professions taught here, and the people educated here have shaped and continue to shape the cityscape, community, and economy of Debrecen today. He praised the school, saying that he believes the school has always been able to adapt to challenges and renew itself while preserving its image, values, and educational culture. The mayor pointed out that Debrecen, which is today one of the most dynamically developing cities in the country, offers young people a profession and a career, and there is an increasing demand for professionals with high-level, practical knowledge. However, this requires a strong, modern, people- and student-centered vocational training system based on economic needs, in which the Debrecen Vocational Training Centre plays a key role.
Chairman of the Cultural Committee of the National Assembly, László Pósán, said that historians can learn about the past because people built in the past, and they still build today, and built monuments carry one of the most important pieces of information. Regarding the saying “Age is not a merit, but a condition,” he said that this does not apply to the school, as the current condition is coupled with high merit. The teachers and specialists who have worked here for decades have done everything in every academic year to increase the professional rank, reputation, and value of this school and thus be able to attract others. The school can thank this for its decades-long existence. He also praised the namesake, believing that Mihály Péchy, whose name is associated with Debrecen in connection with the Great Church and the Reformed College, shows the possibilities for survival and future potential of the field. He pointed out that all segments of the construction industry are still needed today. Construction means creating value, the ability to always renew, and in this institution, Péchy, students are taught this craft.
Director General of the Debrecen Vocational Training Center, Sándor Szilágyi, said that this anniversary is not only a milestone in the life of the institution but also a celebration of decades of commitment, professionalism, and traditions. It is an opportunity to look back on the milestones of the past decades and to thank all those who contributed to achieving the results of the past decades. The people working here have educated, trained, and given a vision for the future to several growing generations. Over the decades, life has brought the school many challenges, but each of them has only strengthened the institution’s place in the local and national professional communities. The director general said that the school has undergone changes: it has changed technology and developed and innovated teaching methods but has always maintained its basic principles, high-quality education, professional ethics, and responsibility towards its students. Finally, he pointed out that the anniversary being celebrated is not only a celebration of the successes of the past 75 years but also a designation of a direction towards the future.
At the end of the event, the celebrants jointly laid a wreath at the statue of Mihály Péchy in the school auditorium, and then a time capsule was placed in the school yard.
Source and photo credit:debrecen.hu
