Debrecen4U February 16, 2026

Fifty years ago, the first school bell rang at the Vénkert Primary School in Debrecen

The Vénkert Primary School began its operation 50 years ago, in 1976. Over the past decades, the institution has grown into one of the city’s significant educational centres. In addition to primary education, it also provides arts education and places strong emphasis on talent development. At the school’s anniversary ceremony, students also commemorated the past half century.

Last Thursday’s anniversary celebrations were opened with a spectacular performance by the gymnasts of Vénkert Primary School. The event took place in the school’s lobby, which now bears the name Ternyei András Community Space in honor of the institution’s first principal.

“Principal Ternyei was characterized by boundless love for children, profound humanism, and dedication to pedagogy throughout his leadership and teaching career. He was a role model in everyday life and remains a role model for us today,” said Tarsoly Andor Béla, Director General of the Vénkerti Primary School and Basic Arts School.

László Türk, head of the Debrecen School District, said that fifty years in the life of a school do not merely span time but life stories. “The fact that this school remains ageless at 50 is due not only to its students and teachers, but also to its successive leaders, who have kept pace with the rhythm of life in Debrecen and with the rapidly developing world,” he stated.

The school’s students gave a performance in which past and present met. Arts education, sports, and talent development receive strong emphasis at the primary school. In his speech, Lajos Barcsa, deputy mayor and city councillor the district, highlighted that in recent years the school has become one of the defining centres of community life in the neighborhood. “A school is always more than a building. It is a community that connects the past with the present and the future. Over the past five decades, this institution has marked the beginning of life’s journey for thousands of children, and it remains one of the district’s most important community centers today,” he said.

In his ceremonial address, Mayor Papp László emphasized that education is a strategic pillar of the city. The future of Debrecen is still being written in school desks today. “One of the strongest pillars of Debrecen’s identity is education. The belief that without knowledge there is no development. Without upbringing there is no future. And without the transmission of values there is no community. From the Debrecen Reformed College to today’s modern educational institutions, the history of Debrecen is intertwined with the history of education,” he said.

On the occasion of its 50th anniversary, the city presented the school with a gift – a loudspeaker, at the children’s request – and also expressed gratitude for the work of the former principals and the current head of the institution.

Source and photo credit: debrecen.hu