Early Childhood Education Faces Severe Staff Shortages, Thousands of Infants Denied Subsidized Care

Three weeks before the new school year begins, the early childhood education sector in Israel is grappling with a shortage of approximately 3,500 to 4,000 caregivers in subsidized daycare centers, according to a report aired Monday evening on Kan News. This shortage is expected to leave over 20,000 infants without access to subsidized daycare in the coming year, marking a 20% increase compared to last year.

Last year, hundreds of daycare classes were closed, forcing many children into private frameworks where prices have risen due to increased demand. Currently, about 20% of caregivers leave their jobs annually, resulting in an average ratio of one caregiver per six infants, which is below the OECD average of one caregiver per four infants.

Additional data published last month revealed a shortage of 3,000 teachers and 200 kindergarten teachers in the education system, including 100 in special education. The shortages are mainly concentrated in the Tel Aviv and central districts and are particularly acute in scientific subjects. Although the number of missing teachers and kindergarten teachers reportedly dropped from 5,000 in July, this improvement is partly due to changes in measurement methods, with unqualified teachers filling the gaps in practice.

The report also touched on broader issues of violence, harassment, and humiliation within youth movements, highlighting disturbing testimonies about traditions in the Scouts movement and allegations of daycare centers withholding assistants' salaries and pressuring them not to deduct these amounts.