PISA Test Results Loom as Education Ministry Denies Responsibility

International PISA test results are set to be released next week, revealing potentially disappointing outcomes for Israeli students. Ahead of the publication, officials within the Ministry of Education have reportedly seen the data and are preparing to distance themselves from accountability.

During a discussion on the matter, Carmit Harush, Director of the Jerusalem District in the Ministry of Education, questioned the test's validity, stating, "I don't understand who the delusional person was who decided to do this test? The students didn't study for half a year, what do you expect from them? They sat at home, obviously these will be the results." Odette Sela, Chief Scientist at the Ministry of Finance, downplayed survey findings by principals regarding teacher shortages, suggesting, "It's their opinion. It's not certain that it's true, and it's not necessarily related to student achievements."

Separately, it was reported that hundreds of teachers were approved for early retirement just before the start of the school year. Approximately 1,000 teachers requested early retirement, and after initial delays, their requests were ultimately granted, leaving school principals scrambling to fill positions at the last minute.

The Ministry of Education stated that most retirement approvals occur near the end of the school year as part of annual planning, but acknowledged that a few cases are handled based on circumstances and procedures. Gil Moshkovitz, CEO of the "Manehigim" organization for school principals, criticized the ministry's slow approval process for early retirements, contrasting it with Israel's technological and security advancements. He argued that the last-minute approvals create teacher shortages solely due to the ministry's "clumsy and disconnected functioning" and suggested this is a primary reason why 1,000 principals left their positions over the summer.