State Comptroller Criticizes Israeli Education Ministry for Neglecting Daycare Oversight and Child Safety

State Comptroller Matanya Engelman sharply criticized the Israeli Ministry of Education for its inadequate supervision of daycare centers for toddlers. A new report reveals that although responsibility for daycare oversight was transferred to the Ministry in 2022, significant gaps remain in enforcement, supervision, and ensuring the safety of hundreds of thousands of young children. During the 2024-2025 school year, approximately 5,060 licensed daycare centers operated in Israel, caring for around 212,000 toddlers. However, an unknown number of unlicensed centers continue to operate illegally.

As of November 2025, the Ministry lacked comprehensive data or mapping of unlicensed daycare centers. It was only in July 2025 that an initial list of 683 unlicensed centers was identified. The report also criticizes the Ministry's inspection system, noting that it has not established mandatory visit frequencies for inspectors nor set minimum standards for the number of required visits per facility. The Comptroller recommended adjusting the number of inspectors according to the volume of centers in each district and proactively collaborating with local authorities to identify and regulate unlicensed daycares.

Another section of the report addresses the implementation of the camera law designed to protect toddlers. The Comptroller found that the Ministry must reassess its supervision methods to ensure all daycares install functioning cameras that properly document incidents in suspected abuse cases. Furthermore, the report highlights deficiencies in safety oversight, calling for a structured mechanism to monitor the correction of safety violations found during inspections, rather than merely recording them.

The State Comptroller concluded that safeguarding toddlers requires effective supervision, continuous enforcement, and complete information on all operating daycare centers. Without knowing where all centers operate and consistently verifying compliance with legal requirements, the Ministry faces serious challenges in guaranteeing the safety of children in its care.