Israeli Matriculation Exam Eligibility Sees Slight Rise, Varies by Locality
Translated & summarized from Mako by baba
Israel's Ministry of Education reported a modest rise in matriculation exam eligibility for the 2025 academic year, reaching 77.9%. Significant disparities exist between localities, with some villages achieving 100% eligibility while ultra-Orthodox cities lag far behind. The report highlights strong performance in Arab communities and attributes success in Druze towns to a cultural emphasis on education. Experts note the data excludes non-exam-administering institutions and that recent exams were influenced by security accommodations.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Israel's national matriculation exam eligibility rate rose to 77.9% for the 2025 academic year.
- Villages like Gush Halav reported 100% eligibility, while Modi'in Illit had only 4.5%.
- The Arab sector saw a significant increase in eligibility, reaching 83.9%.
- Ultra-Orthodox sector eligibility rose slightly to 27.6%, with some cities showing very low rates.
- Druze communities show high success due to cultural emphasis on education and school support.
- Data excludes institutions not administering exams, potentially affecting national averages.
The Israeli Ministry of Education released its "National Educational Picture" for the 2025 academic year, indicating a modest increase in the national rate of students eligible for matriculation certificates. For the 2025 academic year, approximately 461,000 students were enrolled in upper secondary education (grades 10-12), with 130,070 of them in grade 12 at institutions that administer matriculation exams. The overall eligibility rate rose from 76.6% in 2024 to 77.9% in 2025, representing about 101,000 students. This marks a 4.5 percentage point increase from 2020.
Excellence in matriculation also saw an uptick, with the rate of students achieving excellent matriculation rising from 13.1% in 2024 to 14.4% in 2025, an increase of 2,205 students. Among Arab citizens, the eligibility rate jumped from 78.3% in 2024 to 83.9% in 2025. In contrast, the ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) sector saw a smaller increase, from 26.7% to 27.6%.
The data highlights significant disparities between localities. Villages like Gush Halav, Hurfeish, Sajur, Elkana, and Buqata-Tamar reported 100% eligibility. At the lower end of the spectrum were ultra-Orthodox cities such as Modi'in Illit (4.5%), Bnei Brak (14.5%), Beitar Illit (14.9%), and Rekhasim (26.7%).
Top performance in specific subjects was also noted. Kiryat Ekron led in 5-unit mathematics (46.7%) and excellent matriculation (65.0%). Ramat HaSharon excelled in 5-unit English (88.3%) and technology (32.1%).
Experts suggest the rise in eligibility reflects student motivation and the increasing importance of tech-related matriculation. However, the data excludes educational institutions, particularly ultra-Orthodox ones, that do not administer matriculation exams, which could skew the national average downwards. The report also notes that recent matriculation exams were affected by security operations, including "Operation Iron Swords" and "With All Your Might," with students receiving accommodations. Concerns remain about the exam system's reliance on rote memorization rather than critical thinking, as evidenced by Israel's performance in international PISA and TIMSS tests.
The success in Druze communities is attributed to the high value placed on education as a means for economic advancement, with schools offering extensive support programs and teachers enjoying significant professional respect. Affluent central Israeli towns also show high rates, often due to substantial municipal investment and selective student admissions in prestigious religious schools, some of which charge fees beyond Ministry of Education limits.
Mentioned
