Masaawa Center Report: Only 14% of Education Infrastructure Funds Spent in Arab Towns
Translated & summarized from Panet by baba
A report by the Masaawa Center found that only 14% of the 1.958 billion shekel financial commitments for educational infrastructure in Arab towns have been spent between 2022 and 2024. The report, based on data from the Ministry of Education, highlights significant delays in construction and a shortage of classrooms, particularly in the Negev. The center also criticized budget cuts to educational programs and a lack of transparency from government ministries regarding fund allocation.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Only 14% of 1.958 billion shekels in education infrastructure funds were spent in Arab towns from 2022-2024.
- The Masaawa Center report cites delays in construction and land allocation as reasons for low spending.
- Thousands of students in the Negev are still learning in temporary buildings due to classroom shortages.
- Budget allocations for educational programs have decreased by nearly 22% between 2022 and 2024.
- The Masaawa Center criticized the Ministries of Education and Finance for a lack of transparency in data sharing.
A report by the economic and social unit of the Masaawa Center revealed that actual reported spending on educational infrastructure in Arab towns reached 268 million shekels. This represents only about 14% of the financial commitments, which total 1.958 billion shekels, according to data from 2022-2024 obtained from the Ministry of Education. The report was compiled as part of the center's monitoring of the implementation of Government Decision 550 and the five-year "Progress" plan.
The plan originally allocated 2.44 billion shekels for educational infrastructure. The report indicates that the actual spending of 14% relates to issued financial commitments, which themselves constitute about 80% of the total planned budget. Consequently, the reported spending amounts to approximately 11% of the total infrastructure budget designated for the plan. The data was gathered from the Ministry of Education through freedom of information requests, though the ministry did not provide building data for 2025 and 2026, limiting the center's ability to track implementation for those years.
The report attributes the stalled implementation to delays in constructing classrooms, kindergartens, and nurseries, as well as in reinforcing buildings and developing youth clubs, despite a significant shortage of educational facilities in many Arab towns. Obstacles identified include issues with planning institutions and delays by the Israel Land Authority in allocating land.
The most severe shortage of classrooms is concentrated in Arab towns in the Negev, where thousands of students are still learning in temporary structures. The report also highlighted a lack of classrooms in the formal education system in Haifa, citing overcrowding at the "Hiwar" municipal school and the municipality's failure to allocate land for a new school.
In a separate issue, Masaawa stated that the Ministry of Finance and the ministries of Social Equality, Education, and National Security have been delaying the transfer of 100 million shekels allocated for building classrooms in new neighborhoods since early 2026. These funds are to be channeled through the Ministry of Construction and Housing.
Regarding the broader educational plan, the Ministry of Education was supposed to invest 7.1 billion shekels over five years to reduce gaps in Arab education, with 5.68 billion shekels intended for the 2022-2025 period. Data for 2022-2023 shows an allocation of 1.144 billion shekels, and 1.251 billion shekels were transferred for the 2023-2024 academic year. Data for 2024-2025 is still unavailable, preventing a full assessment of the plan's execution rate.
The report also noted a decline in allocations for educational programs, from approximately 203 million shekels in 2022-2023 to about 159 million in 2023-2024, a decrease of nearly 22%. Masaawa believes these cuts weaken support and protection frameworks for youth. An additional 15% budget cut is expected for the 2024-2025 academic year due to a government decision.
Masaawa criticized the lack of transparency from the Ministries of Education and Finance in providing data, stating they had to petition the court to obtain information from the Ministry of Education. The center emphasizes that complete data on fund allocation and spending is crucial for monitoring the decision's implementation and its effectiveness in closing educational gaps in Arab communities.
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