Israeli Finance Ministry Official Proposes Ending Friday Classes to Combat Teacher Shortage

Ovad Alqabatz, head of teaching staff employment at the Finance Ministry's Wage and Employment Agreements Department, has outlined his strategy to address Israel's teacher shortage ahead of upcoming salary negotiations. In an interview with Globes, Alqabatz identified eliminating Friday classes as a key measure to improve the system. He also expressed reservations about a proposal from the Budget Department to transfer teacher employment to local authorities.

Alqabatz acknowledged that despite significant investment, the Israeli education system's performance is declining. He noted that while Israel's per-student spending is high internationally, the system faces challenges due to a growing student population and the impact of recent crises like the COVID-19 pandemic and wars. He believes the current allocation of resources is inefficient, leading to a disconnect between investment and outcomes.

He attributed the teacher shortage primarily to a qualitative issue, making it difficult to recruit teachers in subjects like science and facing staffing shortages in the central region. Alqabatz argued that increasing teaching hours to compensate for shortages has led to a decline in quality, with some teachers lacking full teaching certifications or degrees. He cautioned against across-the-board salary increases, fearing it could create shortages in other sectors and cause wage inflation, advocating instead for structural changes, higher entry requirements, and improved training.

Alqabatz highlighted the recent initiative to hire teachers on personal contracts for ten months, offering a salary of NIS 19,500 for a 30-hour week plus a NIS 20,000 bonus, emphasizing the flexibility this offers. He stated that the upcoming salary agreement with the teachers' union will involve significant structural changes, including the proposed end to Friday classes. This move, he explained, aims to reduce teacher workload, provide more leisure time, and ultimately enhance educational quality by reallocating hours and potentially shortening class periods.

Regarding the proposal to transfer teacher employment to local authorities, Alqabatz stressed the need to first address the decentralization of powers within the education system before determining the employer. He also shared his personal experience as a parent paying over NIS 8,000 monthly for early childhood education, underscoring the critical need for increased investment in this sector due to its high return.