Israeli Students Show Declining Scores, Raising Concerns for Democracy

Recent international and national assessments reveal a worrying decline in the academic skills of Israeli students, prompting concerns about their future capabilities and their ability to navigate an information-saturated world rife with misinformation. The PISA tests, which assess reading, math, and science, showed the lowest average scores for Israel in two decades, placing the country at the bottom of OECD nations. The "Tnuafa" national exam, replacing the "Mitzav" test, found that only a third of sixth graders met math requirements, a mere 3% of ninth graders met science and technology standards, and only 20% of Arab students met Hebrew language requirements.

While the COVID-19 pandemic and recent conflict are cited as potential factors for the decline in the 2025 exams, Professor Arnon Hershkovitz emphasizes the need to look forward and focus on improving student potential. He argues that these low scores have profound implications beyond academics, directly impacting students' civic engagement and democratic participation. The ability to critically analyze information, distinguish fact from opinion, and identify logical fallacies is crucial, especially during election periods when political rhetoric and misleading data are prevalent.

Hershkovitz draws a parallel between the skills tested in PISA and "Tnuafa" and the critical thinking required to understand election polls and political discourse. He suggests that politicians have two paths: either to serve the public and foster informed citizens, or to exploit public ignorance by controlling information. A democratic education system, he contends, must cultivate citizens capable of questioning authority, making investment in literacy, math, and science skills essential not only for human capital and national security but also for the very foundation of democracy.