Israeli Matriculation Exam Pass Rates Rise Slightly, Data Shows
Translated & summarized from N12 by baba
Israel's Ministry of Education reported a slight increase in the national matriculation exam pass rate for the 2025 academic year, reaching 77.9%. Top-performing localities achieved 100% eligibility, while others, particularly Haredi cities, lagged significantly. The data also revealed disparities between sectors, with the Arab sector showing a notable rise and the Haredi sector a smaller increase. Factors contributing to success include community emphasis on education and targeted support programs, while challenges remain in the exam system's focus on memorization.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Israel's national matriculation exam pass rate rose to 77.9% for the 2025 academic year.
- Top-performing localities achieved 100% matriculation eligibility, while others like Modi'in Illit scored as low as 4.5%.
- The Arab sector saw a significant increase in pass rates, reaching 83.9%.
- Haredi communities had a lower pass rate of 27.6%, with many institutions excluded from the data.
- High achievement in advanced math and English was noted in specific towns like Kiryat Ekron.
- Success in Druze communities is linked to education's role in economic advancement and strong school support.
The Israeli Ministry of Education released its "National Educational Picture" data 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 pass 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 since 2020. The rate of students achieving "excellent" matriculation also saw an increase, from 13.1% in 2024 to 14.4% in 2025, with the number of such students growing by 2,205 to 18,743.
The data highlights significant disparities between different sectors and localities. The Arab sector saw a notable rise in its matriculation pass rate, from 78.3% in 2024 to 83.9% in 2025. In contrast, the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) sector's pass rate increased from 26.7% to 27.6% over the same period. It is important to note that the data only includes schools that administer matriculation exams, excluding many Haredi institutions, which would lower the overall national average if included.
Among the top-performing localities with 100% matriculation eligibility were Gush Halav, Hurfeish, Sajur, Elkana, and Buqata. At the lower end of the ranking were Modi'in Illit with 4.5%, Bnei Brak with 14.5%, Beitar Illit with 14.9%, Rekhasim with 26.7%, and Beit Shemesh with 41.9%.
The report also detailed high achievement rates in specific subjects. For advanced (5-unit) mathematics, Kiryat Ekron led with 46.7%, while for advanced English, Kiryat Ekron also ranked first with 95.0%. In technology-related fields, Givat Shmuel had the highest rate at 39.2%. For excellent matriculation, Kiryat Ekron again led with 65.0%.
Explanations for the success in Druze communities point to education being viewed as a crucial tool for economic advancement, with schools offering extensive afternoon and holiday support programs and teachers enjoying high professional prestige. Affluent central Israeli towns also show high rates, attributed to significant local authority investment and selective student admissions in some prestigious religious schools, which may also charge substantial supplementary fees. The ministry noted that the exam period coincided with military operations, and that accommodations for students affected by the "Iron Swords War" and "With All Your Might" operation may have influenced the results. The article also raises concerns that the current matriculation system relies on rote memorization rather than critical thinking, citing Israel's performance in international PISA and TIMSS tests.
