Ukraine Outperforms Israel in PISA Tests Amid War, Critics Blame Government Neglect

Ukraine has shown greater resilience than Israel in the face of war-related educational disruptions, according to an analysis by the Berl Katznelson Foundation. While both nations participated in the PISA 2025 tests, Ukraine experienced a significantly smaller decline in scores compared to Israel. Ukraine's average score dropped by only 6 points, whereas Israel's fell by an average of 29 points across mathematics, reading, and science.

These findings contrast sharply with the Israeli Education Minister Yoav Kisch's assertion that the war was the primary reason for Israel's "complete collapse" in the PISA results. Israel's scores in the three core subjects were the lowest ever recorded, falling significantly below the OECD average and placing the country in the bottom quartile of developed nations. In a digital learning assessment, Israel ranked 54th out of 85 countries, 54 points below the OECD average.

Despite Minister Kisch attributing the results to the "exceptional resilience" of the Israeli education system amidst the ongoing conflict, the Berl Katznelson Foundation's research highlights that Ukraine faces a far more severe war. Eighty-three percent of Ukrainian schools report resource shortages due to the war, compared to 58% in Israel. Furthermore, Ukraine's decline in PISA scores was only about a fifth of Israel's, with a 1-point drop in science versus Israel's 23-point decline, and a 9-point drop in reading versus Israel's 38-point decline.

The analysis also scrutinized Minister Kisch's schedule, revealing that he dedicated only three meetings to PISA tests between 2023 and 2025, out of approximately 4,500 total meetings. In contrast, he held numerous meetings concerning ultra-Orthodox education and settlements in Judea and Samaria. Critics argue that the government is using the war as a pretext to mask its failure to adequately fund and support public education, while channeling resources to sectarian educational systems.

The Ministry of Education defended the minister's actions, calling the analysis of his schedule "cheap populism" and stating that Kisch has held numerous professional meetings and site visits aimed at improving student achievement, including the 'Real Israel' program to promote STEM studies.