Israeli Education Minister Blamed for PISA Test Failures Amid War Claims
Education Minister Yoav Kisch attributed Israel's poor performance on the latest PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) tests to the ongoing war. However, an analysis by Calcalist journalist Shahar Ilan highlights that Ukraine, despite facing a more severe and prolonged conflict, experienced a significantly smaller decline in test scores.
According to data from the Berl Katznelson Foundation, Ukraine's scores dropped by only 6 points on average across mathematics, reading, and science, while Israel's fell by 29 points. Specifically, Israel saw a 23-point decrease in science and a 38-point drop in reading, whereas Ukraine's scores declined by just 1 point in science and 9 points in reading. In 2022, Israel had a 27-point advantage over Ukraine; by 2025, this lead was reduced to 5 points.
The foundation's researchers, Rami Gud and Aviad Hominir-Rosenbaum, argue that the war is being used as an excuse to mask deeper issues within Israel's education system. They point to Kisch's ministerial diary, which reportedly shows he dedicated only three out of approximately 4,500 meetings over three years to PISA, while focusing significantly more on funding for the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) education sector, which often does not teach core subjects.
"The PISA data is a serious indictment against a government that has neglected public education while showering budgets on sectoral education systems that do not teach basic subjects," Gud stated. He criticized the government for weakening public education through budget cuts and intimidation of teachers.
In response, the Ministry of Education dismissed the criticism as "cheap populism" aimed at creating a distorted picture. A ministry spokesperson asserted that the minister has held numerous professional meetings and discussions focused on improving student achievement, including the "Realistic Israel" program to promote STEM studies. The ministry also maintained that the PISA 2025 results primarily reflect the state of education during wartime.
