Israel Faces Declining Education Standards and Youth Engagement

Recent data from the OECD's Education Yearbook reveals a concerning trend in Israel's education system, indicating a decline in academic achievement and youth engagement. The percentage of young Israelis aged 25-34 without a high school education has risen from 9% in 2015 to 11% in 2025, a significant increase compared to the OECD average which saw a decrease. Furthermore, the proportion of young Israelis who are neither studying nor working (NEET) has climbed to 20%, the highest among developed nations, while the OECD average has fallen to 13%.

Academic attainment is also lagging. The percentage of Israeli men aged 25-34 with a university degree has stagnated at 36% since 2015, starkly contrasting with the OECD average, which rose from 34% to 43%. This has caused Israel to fall from a global leader in higher education attainment to ninth or tenth place. Recent PISA 2025 test results for 15-year-olds showed a "complete collapse," with Israel scoring its lowest ever in math, reading, and science, placing it in the bottom quintile of developed nations and near the bottom for high achievers.

These educational shortcomings have tangible economic consequences. Young Israelis without a high school diploma earn significantly less than their peers in other developed countries. The gap between the earnings of university graduates and those without a high school diploma is also wider in Israel than the OECD average. The report also highlights underinvestment in early childhood education, with Israeli government spending per child being a mere 9.8% of the OECD average.

Classroom sizes in Israel are the largest in the OECD, with an average of 28 students in elementary schools and 30 in middle schools, contributing to a higher number of annual learning hours per student compared to the OECD average. Additionally, the report notes a widening pay gap between teachers and university graduates in Israel, with teachers earning only 73% of a university graduate's salary, a significant drop from previous years and below the OECD average.

The OECD yearbook also points to a concerning trend of men falling behind women in higher education. While 57% of Israeli women aged 25-34 hold university degrees, only 36% of men do, creating a gender gap significantly larger than the OECD average. The report suggests this may be partly due to the increasing proportion of Haredi and Arab populations among young people.