Budget Disparities Leave Some Israeli Students Receiving Less Funding

As the school year approaches, a significant disparity in educational funding is being highlighted, with students in certain sectors receiving less financial support than others. Critics point to the existence of four distinct education systems in Israel: state secular, state religious, state Arab, and Haredi (ultra-Orthodox). While the state secular system is the largest, comprising nearly 40% of students, followed by Arab, Haredi, and religious sectors, the per-student funding does not align with these numbers.

The state religious sector, despite being the smallest in terms of student numbers, receives more funding per student than any other sector. This is attributed to additional hours allocated for prayer, advanced matriculation studies in biblical subjects, and coalition-driven funding for roles like rabbis, spiritual enrichment programs, and religious studies clubs. The average cost per student varies significantly across these sectors.

Currently, a High Court order is freezing the transfer of some funds designated for the state religious education system, which are under review by the Finance Committee. There are concerns that these funds may not reach their intended recipients in time for the start of the school year.

Analysis by the State Religious Education Council and the Menora Center indicates that an additional four billion shekels are needed to close the funding gap between the state secular and state religious systems. They advocate for equitable funding across all sectors, free from political preferences, rather than reducing resources from the state religious sector.

This issue arises amidst other educational funding concerns, including the delayed opening of the school year in northern Israel due to a lack of protected educational facilities and a recent study indicating low teacher education levels in Israel.