Kispest is barely a hundred years old. It doesn’t have a city center rich in historic monuments, nor does it boast magnificent, time-worn architectural wonders, but we do find small family homes with gardens and large housing estates that stand as eloquent witnesses to times past.

The town’s origins date back to “the happy times of peace,” when our country experienced significant development as part of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. The unification of the capital (Pest, Buda, and Óbuda) took place in 1873. In the outskirts of the city, low land prices (80 krajcár per négyzööl) and opportunities for construction offered solutions to people’s main concerns.

The option to settle outside the capital is also advantageous for workers moving from rural areas to the capital.

Kispest is located on the Pest Plain, just 9 km from the center of the capital, along the busy Szolnok–Budapest route. It met all the expectations of those who settled here.

The town was established on June 11, 1871, with 566 residents, and separated from Vecsés.

On July 20, 1873, Kispest was granted permanent village status, and the Kispest village administration was established. The area between Kossuth Square and Határ Road was also incorporated into the village. In 1874, Kispest was granted the status of a large municipality.

In 1922, Kispest became a city with an organized council. By Resolution No. 21455–1424 of the Pest–Pilis–Solt–Kiskun County Council, Kispest was required to establish a municipal government.

By Resolution No. 104/1922 of the Association of Hungarian Cities, Kispest became a “member of the Association.”

In 1950, it became the 19th district of the capital.

The history of our school in times long past

 On August 20, 1872, the school board—the organization responsible for public education in the municipality—was established in Kispest. It was tasked with providing education for 73 school-age children in the municipality. The chairman of the school board was Pál Szabó; the vice chairman, Antal Fáber; the secretary, István Bellái; and the custodian, Lipót Nirschy; other members include: András Horváth, István Lukács, Antal Bénán, as well as representatives of the religious denominations. At the school board meeting, discussions began regarding the establishment of a school. The village had already decided to build a school on the plot of land designated for that purpose.

In the 1883–84 school year, the school on Petőfi Street opened with four separate classes.

/one class for boys and three for girls/, with a total of 357 students. The Minister of Religion and Public Education entrusted teacher Irma Dluhos with the full management of the headteacher’s duties. The minister appoints new teachers to the school. At this time, Béla Bertalan, Béla Vörösváry, and Imre Winkler arrive in the village, with Winkler being appointed head teacher. These teachers taught here until their retirement. In 1890, the village’s population was 4,600, and the number of school-age children exceeded 600.

In 1885, a system of remedial schools was established for children who were not continuing their education in any form. They learned practical skills in agriculture and home economics.

By 1895, the municipality’s population had grown to nearly 10,000, with 1,357 school-age children and 455 students in remedial classes. In total, therefore, education must be provided for 1,812 children.

The four classrooms at the school on Hunyadi Street and the eight classrooms at the school on Petőfi Street were no longer sufficient. The school board rents classrooms for the classes. In 1898, the number of rented classrooms was 18, and this number continued to grow year by year. On March 26, 1898, the Kispest municipal council convened for an extraordinary general meeting. József Tóth, Royal Councilor and school district superintendent, also attended the meeting and announced Circular No. 20349/1898, in which the government intends to urgently and permanently resolve the issue of the location of the state elementary schools in Kispest and the affiliated Puszta Szent Lőrinc.

On August 4, 1898, the fact-finding committee and the municipal council passed the following resolution. "The committee finds that, having thoroughly inspected the eight classrooms in the state-owned school buildings as well as the 18 leased classrooms, it has determined that these are insufficient to accommodate all school-age children, as their total area amounts to only 1,377 square meters: and the number of school-age children, according to the 1897 census, is 1,920; adding to this the current year’s birth rate, estimated at 380, brings the total to 2,300. There is no doubt, therefore, that the school facilities do not meet the requirements of the law, especially when one considers the rapid development of the municipality and the steady increase in the number of school-age children. To remedy this shortfall, the committee recommends that the owner of the rented building housing the state school in Felső-Kispest be required to construct one additional classroom, which the owner has agreed to do for an annual rent of 250 Ft.

The current school building on Petőfi Street, which is owned by the state, will be demolished and replaced with a one-story school building comprising 16 classrooms, an office, a caretaker’s apartment, a gymnasium, and the necessary auxiliary facilities.

“The municipal council, mindful of the considerable sacrifices the state has made—and will continue to make—for the benefit of the local schools, and furthermore, given that the municipality is responsible for providing for the needs of the schools in accordance with the law, has been called upon by the committee to contribute to the costs associated with the construction projects to the extent of its financial capacity.

A representative from the State Architectural Office was summoned to review the blueprints and necessary preliminary studies for a one-story school building to be constructed on state-owned land located on Petőfi Street in Felső-Kispest, on the state-owned lot on Petőfi Street, and to submit them to the Administrative Committee.

In Circular No. 67862, the Minister of Religion and Public Education informs the municipal authorities that, in agreement with the Minister of Finance, he approves the construction of the two-story school on Petőfi Street.

The County Board of Education informs the municipality that the State Architectural Office, under the direction of Engineer Ferenc Raab, has prepared the construction plans for the school building on Petőfi Street based on an English-style school design, as well as for the gymnasium, which at that time was a standard feature of English-style schools, along with the necessary staff quarters and the principal’s residence. It further states that the total amount of the preliminary cost estimates is 65,432 Ft. He requests that the municipal council, based on this information, announce the call for bids for construction and pricing, and proceed with the loan transaction in accordance with the terms of the contract. In March 1899, the municipal council announced a nationwide tender for the construction of an English-style school building and its auxiliary facilities to be built on Petőfi Street within the village limits. Based on the tender announcement, Lajos Moll, a local building contractor, was awarded the contract; he agreed to carry out the construction of the school building, its auxiliary facilities, and the expansion work for 62 221 Ft to carry out the construction of the school building, its auxiliary facilities, and the expansion work. He guarantees that the work will be carried out to a high standard.

Work began on July 1, 1899, and barely a month later, the foundation for the new school was laid.

The contractor hired construction workers from among the local workforce, so the 32 workers employed on the project did not have to commute to Pest for work. Construction is proceeding at a steady pace, and on August 20, 1902, the school building is handed over to the school administration in a ceremonial ceremony, fully equipped. Only the interior fitting out of the gymnasium was delayed; it was handed over for its intended use at the end of 1902.

The school building—as it was called at the time—and its auxiliary facilities amounted to a total of 65,432 Ft, according to the bond issued by the Hungarian Mortgage Credit Bank.

The cost of equipping the school with desks, a teacher’s desk, a writing desk, and gym equipment totaled 14,876 Ft. The construction, expansion, and interior fit-out of the school cost 80,308 Ft.

With the completion of the new school, the heroic era of public education in the village has essentially come to an end. However, this does not mean that the issues surrounding the village’s public elementary education have been adequately resolved.

The village already had more than 24,000 residents by the time the first school, built to serve educational and public education purposes, was completed. The material conditions for the work of the teachers here “improved greatly”; administration became easier, and greater opportunities for organization opened up.

In fact, 70 to 80 children were studying in each classroom; the classrooms were very crowded. In 1900, the village’s public education system was reorganized. However, it would take a few more years for an adequate school network to be established, thereby relieving the burden on the elementary school on Petőfi Street. The Upper Kispest Public Elementary School and the Lower Kispest Public Elementary School—which also included the Lőrinc school district—were eventually separated from the school on Petőfi Street. It was not until 1911 that new schools were built on Pannónia Road and Hungária Road.

At that time, the municipality had a population of more than 30,000, and education was essentially provided by these three elementary schools.

However, the overcrowding in our classrooms had not yet subsided even by 1912–13. The class with the smallest enrollment at that time was Class 2A, with 63 students, while the class with the largest enrollment was Class 1A, with 96 students.

In 1912, an after-school care center was established for underprivileged children in need.

In June 1920, at the end of the school year, the teaching staff held an intimate celebration to mark Principal Imre Winkler’s 40 years of service as a teacher and his retirement.

The municipal council also recognized the virtues of this noble teacher and principal and awarded him a special bonus of 100 koronas.

With the principal’s retirement, an era in school administration essentially comes to a close—an era in which an enthusiastic teaching staff, imbued with the ideals of civic humanism, advocating progressive ideas, and willing to make sacrifices to realize them, a dedicated faculty imbued with the ideals of civic humanism carried out their selfless work. They believed in their mission—the intellectual elevation of the people through public education—and for them, this belief was the very essence of their lives and work.

Ede Szarvas will be the school’s new principal. The 1925 public school curriculum and guidelines define the mission of the public school as follows: “The public school shall have guiding stars, whose light shall never fade before its students: God, Country, King, Work.

Religion is the sure foundation and the foremost and strongest tool of moral education. In his or her educational work, the teacher gratefully accepts the contribution of the religious instructor, but within the scope of his or her teaching duties, the teacher must also contribute to nurturing and deepening religious sentiment, while ensuring that the scientific content of the subjects does not conflict with the tenets of the faith.”

On March 19, 1944, German occupation forces marched into Kispest as well. German soldiers were quartered in our school, and a makeshift hospital was set up in one section of the building. In January 1945, Soviet troops took control.

A new life began amid the ruins, and a new ideology took root in the old school.

Classes resumed at our school on February 12, 1945. The expansion of the 6-grade elementary school to an 8-grade school took place in 1946–47. The school’s principal at the time, Péter Kerék, began organizing an after-school program with the help of the parents’ association.

Starting in 1950, the school hosted the music school’s clarinet, piano, violin, and preparatory music programs. Thanks to the enthusiastic and active initiative of the school’s principal at the time, László Szabó, the principal’s apartment was converted in 1951 and now serves as the dining hall and kitchen.

From 1970 to 1982, our school served as the headquarters for the Board of Trustees of Primary Education Institutions.

Ida Takács served as our school’s principal from 1968 to 1981. She did a great deal to improve the school’s facilities and modernize its educational technology. In 1972–73, the school underwent renovation in two phases, which gave it its current appearance.

Starting in 1981, Principal Istvánné Nagy continued this work. The muddy courtyard was paved with concrete through community service efforts; the crumbling oil-stained baseboards were replaced with tiled hallways; and the building was equipped with central heating during the 1983–84 school year. At that time, the gymnasium was connected to the building, and modern locker rooms and restrooms were installed.

The Reménység Ecumenical Christian Elementary School was established on August 1, 1992, in this historic school building under the leadership of Jenő Csernavay.

325 students began the 1992–1993 school year. After a two-year transition period, religious education became mandatory for all students, and it has remained a defining factor in shaping Christian spirituality ever since.

In 2000, we expanded our educational program to include a bilingual curriculum.

State approval and authorization of the bilingual educational program required that both the name of the sponsoring foundation and the name of the school be changed. Thus, the sponsoring foundation became the Reménység Bilingual Christian Elementary School Foundation, and the school’s name became Reménység Bilingual Christian Elementary School. The school’s Christian commitment, as well as its ecumenical outlook and dedication in this regard, have not changed.

The bilingual program placed an emphasis on teaching English through daily language classes and the development of subject-specific language skills. In addition, advanced-level German instruction was also implemented.

Thanks to the joint efforts of well-prepared, conscientious, and highly qualified teachers and diligent students who love their school, the institution’s educational standards have risen and its prestige has grown.

Our students have achieved outstanding results in district, city, and national academic competitions.

We have continued to place great emphasis on an ecumenical approach to education that conveys Christian values, denominational religious instruction, and preparation in accordance with the theological requirements of various churches. Thus, First Communion, the sacrament of Confirmation, and the Protestant confirmation ceremony have become important celebrations for the entire school.

Christian moral education sought to foster love and justice, as well as mutual respect and appreciation.

The Foundation’s board of trustees ensured the school’s operational responsibilities and provided the necessary economic and financial conditions. Within this framework, the largest contribution came from the Kispest Municipal Government.

Maintaining the school, along with the increased number of students and rising costs, placed an ever-greater burden on the local government. For this reason, the local government proposed that one of the historic churches take over the school. Negotiations have begun with the leaders of the Roman Catholic, Greek Catholic, and Reformed churches regarding the transfer of the school.

Priority was given to the Roman Catholic Church because the largest number of students and families belonged to that church.

Following successful negotiations and the signing of the necessary contracts, the board of trustees decided to transfer the responsibilities of the school’s operator to the Archdiocese of Esztergom-Budapest.

On May 31, 2013, Cardinal Péter Erdő, Primate and Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, included the Reménység Bilingual Christian Elementary School among the educational institutions of the Archdiocese of Esztergom-Budapest. Since the foundation’s role as the school’s governing body had come to an end, the foundation filed for dissolution with the Budapest Metropolitan Court.

The Reménység Bilingual Catholic Elementary School began operations on September 1, 2012. Jenő Csernavay, who had been the school’s principal since 1992, was appointed principal for one year. The handover proceeded smoothly, and legal experts prepared the necessary contracts and agreements. The Archdiocesan Office of the Archdiocese of Esztergom-Budapest carried out the duties of the school’s governing body.

On August 31, 2013, following a decision by the governing body, Erzsébet Magyar, who had served as deputy director since 1997, was appointed director. At the same time, the Budapest Catholic Institution Maintenance Center—EKIF (formerly: the General Authority for Catholic Schools of the Archdiocese of Esztergom-Budapest) assumed the governing body’s authority and responsibilities.

The school’s name changed once again: it became the Reménység Catholic Elementary School.

László Hegedűs, papal chaplain, protonotary canon, parish priest, and honorary citizen of Kispest, was retired by his bishop after 30 years of priestly service in Kispest. Father Gábor Gyetván became his successor.

The change in sponsorship did not cause any difficulties among the students, teachers, or parents.

The educational program changed significantly one year later because the Roman Catholic Church, as the school’s sponsor, did not consider it justified to continue the bilingual program and therefore discontinued or restructured it: Starting with the 2014–2015 school year, language instruction is being implemented with an increased number of class hours and the continuation of split-class instruction.

On July 31, 2016, Principal Erzsébet Magyar was relieved of her duties, and effective August 1, Árpád Géczy, a teacher specializing in Hungarian and religious education, was entrusted with the duties of school principal.

In 2017, a four-phase renovation project began at the school. In the first phase (2017–18), the interior of the building was renovated: clean white walls and two-tone beige flooring now adorn the hallways. We installed handwashing stations in our classrooms. We redesigned the entrance area and created a waiting area for parents. We grouped the offices and the teachers’ lounge together. We converted a classroom into a gym. We relocated the door to the infirmary to the hallway. The cafeteria and kitchen were also renovated, and internet access was installed in every classroom. During the second phase (2018–19), a partial upper-level addition was constructed, creating four classrooms and a computer lab, and a fire protection system was installed. During the third phase (summer 2019), we successfully applied for a TAO grant in partnership with the Hungarian Handball Federation, which allowed us to renovate our gym, including the support rooms and restrooms. The fourth phase took place in 2020–21: through an EU energy efficiency project, we insulated the walls, giving the school an impressive exterior, and replaced all windows and doors with modern, triple-pane units.

Meanwhile, the school’s IT infrastructure continued to be upgraded: a state-of-the-art Wi-Fi network was installed, and every classroom is equipped with an interactive whiteboard or interactive panel. Over the past few years, Reménység Kispest has become the most successful elementary school in the area.

In 2021, the school expanded its mission to include preschool education. Our preschool is located on Mádi Street in Kőbánya. Preschool education takes place in a building surrounded by a beautiful, tree-lined courtyard and capable of accommodating four groups; we currently have two mixed-age groups.

Jenő Csernavay

About the School's Symbols

To mark the 25th anniversary of the Reménység Catholic Elementary School, a new logo has been adopted to represent the school. At the center of the emblem is the anchor, an ancient symbol of hope; the shank of the anchor forms a cross pointing toward the sky, but together these elements also evoke the image of a ship, symbolizing belonging and community. Its colors include the green of Hope, the white of faith, the gold of heavenly bliss, and the blue of purity—the color of the Virgin Mary.

The logo was created by painter Dávid Kovács-Gombos.

The school’s motto is taken from St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans:

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit!” Romans 15:13