The topic of this paper is the reform of science education in Hungary, started with secondary vocational schools.

Teachers of Biology, Chemistry, Geography, and Physics were really shocked by the ministerial decree which decreased with 40% the total number of the scientific lessons in the whole educational period of the vocational education last August. A new subject (Science) was introduced in 9^h grade in secondary vocational education at the same time. The main targets of this subject are to improve the students’ scientific literacy and skills , to support them in becoming responsible citizens, and to help them to live a healthy life. There are 108 lessons – all in a single academic year - to attain these targets. In grades 10-12 in secondary vocational education one scientific subject is taught (Biology, Chemistry, Geography, or Physics), as the theoretical basis of the vocational training depending on the profile of the school.

The teachers who have to teach this new Science subject are trained for and are experienced in teaching one or two scientific disciplines, but they are not qualified to teach complex science. The Hungarian Institute for Educational Research and Development (HIERD) was appointed to develop the science curriculum for grade nine of secondary vocational schools in cooperation with some scientists and teachers. The curriculum has to improve the scientific literacy of the students by active learning about those topics which are closely connected to their daily life.

The main questions and tasks of this curriculum development process are the following:

-   Which complex features of nature are connected to the daily life of the students, allowing for experimentation?

-   Which skills should be improved by learning this subject?

-   How can the teachers trained in special disciplines manage the learning of Science?

-   How should teachers be supported to facilitate active learning?

The development process is based on the following principles:

• The new science curriculum has to be based on the national and international experiences, and should take the expectations of different stakeholders into account. 
• For the success of the development process, it has to be led by professional curriculum developers, who have to cooperate with practitioners. Thematic ideas and methodological suggestions have to be tested in practice, and the reflections of the teachers have to be used in the finalization of the themes and methods.
• The new curriculum should be flexible to fit the varied possibilities and needs of the teachers, students, and schools.
  • The development process has to be communicated continuously.

The core element development process is the action group led by the Curriculum Centre of HIERD. Educational researchers and curriculum developers, experts of school improvement, textbook developers, and IT-experts are represented in this group, also linked to a group of teachers, playing different roles. They can tell their opinion and needs to the development experts, they can share their experiences at the National Public Educational Portal, they can share their views with each other and the developers in a facilitated online forum, and some of them can develop some elements of the curriculum. The development process is supervised by a board, in which the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the Ministry of Education, three different universities involved in initial and in-service teachers training, the Chamber of Teachers, two professional science associations, and the chief management of HIERD are represented.

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