Israel's Education System Faces Overcrowding and Teacher Exodus, OECD Report Reveals

A new report from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) highlights significant disparities between Israel's education system and those of other developed nations. The report indicates that Israeli classrooms are considerably more crowded than the OECD average, with 27 students per elementary school class compared to 21, and 30 students in middle school classes versus an OECD average of 23. Chile is the only country with more crowded classrooms than Israel.

The report also points to a severe issue with retaining young teachers, noting that 77% of those who leave the profession have less than five years of experience, a stark contrast to the OECD average of 38%. Despite this, a majority of Israeli middle school teachers (30.1%) feel their profession is valued, and about 33.9% are satisfied with their salaries, figures comparable to the OECD average.

While Israel allocates a substantial portion of its national budget to education, the high demographic growth rate means per-student spending falls below the OECD average. Government spending per student in Israel is approximately $11,000 annually, significantly lower than the $14,000 to $16,000 spent in many Western European countries. Higher education spending per student is even lower, at about $7,300, less than half the OECD average.

Furthermore, the report notes that 46% of elementary school students attend schools where over 10% of the teaching staff lacks full certification, with Jerusalem district reporting 18.1% uncertified teachers. Looking ahead, Israel's student population aged five to 14 is projected to grow by 16% over the next decade, while most OECD countries anticipate a decline.