PISA 2025 Results Shatter Myth of 'Real Israel' Education System

Recent PISA 2025 results have debunked the notion that Israel's education system, when excluding its Arab and Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) sectors, functions at a Western standard. The data reveals a significant decline not just at the margins but within the core of the Hebrew-speaking public education system. Israeli students' scores in reading, math, and science have reached their lowest point ever recorded in PISA, falling below the OECD average.

Specifically, reading scores dropped by 38 points to 436, math by 25 points to 433, and science by 23 points to 442 between 2022 and 2025. This decline is steeper than in previous years and indicates a systemic failure. The proportion of students scoring at the highest international levels has also decreased significantly, while the percentage of students performing at the lowest levels has increased. Furthermore, Israeli students report lower engagement with learning and a higher perception of school as a waste of time compared to their OECD peers.

The article argues that the decline cannot be solely attributed to the underrepresentation of Haredi students in the PISA sample, as many Haredi schools refused to participate. While Haredi and Arab students generally score lower, the sharpest decline has occurred within the Hebrew-speaking secular public school system, where such excuses are invalid. The gap between high-achieving and low-achieving students remains wide, not because the weaker students improved, but because the stronger students have declined.

While the war is cited as a partial factor, the trend predates it. The author points to chronic issues plaguing the education system, including insufficient resources, teacher burnout, low professional status for educators, and constant politicization. Frequent changes in education ministers with differing agendas disrupt long-term planning, turning education into a battleground for identity, religion, and politics instead of focusing on core academic skills.

The article concludes that Israel needs a long-term, stable education policy, shielded from political shifts, focusing on essential skills and teacher quality. The nation's competitive edge, historically rooted in the quality of its human capital, is at risk. The current right-religious coalition is accused of exacerbating trends like politicization and sectarianism, prioritizing coalition demands over building a modern, unified education system. This decline threatens not only Israel's economic and technological advantages but also its international standing and alliances.