Israeli Education Ministry Data Shows Rising Matriculation Rates, Falling Dropout Rates

The Israeli Ministry of Education released its national educational and budgetary transparency data for the 2025 school year, revealing a continued increase in matriculation (bagrut) exam eligibility and a decrease in dropout rates. The data indicates that 77.9% of 12th graders are eligible for a matriculation certificate, up from 76.6% in the previous year, with a total of approximately 101,000 students eligible. This marks a 4.5% increase over the past five years, from 73.4% in 2020. The gap in eligibility between students from stronger and weaker socioeconomic backgrounds has narrowed significantly, decreasing from 17.5% in 2020 to 12% in 2025, a reduction of 5.5%.

Eligibility for an "excellent" matriculation certificate also rose, from 13.1% to 14.4%, with the number of high-achieving students increasing by 2,205 to 18,743. Significant gains were observed in the Arab sector, where eligibility rose from 78.3% to 83.9% in one year, and in the Bedouin sector, from 71.1% to 73.7%. The Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) sector saw a rise from 26.7% to 27.6%. Notably, the gender gap in eligibility has shifted, with boys now having a slight advantage (78.4%) over girls (77.4%), a reversal from 2020 when girls had a 3.4% lead.

In advanced studies, 39.3% of high school students in 2025 are enrolled in technological tracks. Eligibility for 5-unit mathematics exams increased from 16.0% to 17.1%, and for 5-unit English from 46.8% to 48.7%. The rate of students qualifying for technological certifications also grew to 62.7%. Student persistence improved to 83.5%, while the national dropout rate fell to 0.8% from 0.9% the previous year. Class sizes in elementary education have decreased over the past decade in both Jewish and Arab sectors.

Budgetary transparency data shows continued differential funding favoring the periphery and students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Peripheral elementary school students receive about 17% more funding on average than those in central areas, and middle school students receive 19.6% more. The average cost per student in the weakest socioeconomic quintile is about 27% higher than in the strongest quintile for elementary education. The Ministry also reported a reduction in funding disparities between the Arab and Jewish sectors, with near-equal average costs per student in elementary education. Higher education saw a 38% increase in average cost per student in the Arab sector between 2020 and 2025, compared to 22% in the Jewish sector.

Minister of Education Yoav Kisch commented that the data presents a broad and important picture of the education system, acknowledging both achievements and challenges, especially for students growing up during wartime. He emphasized the dedication of educators and the continued progress of Israeli students, calling them the "victory generation" and pledging to strengthen them and reduce gaps.