IN the EDUCATION SYSTEM N I Special Edition G N 9 T Ti H Mee 2013 March 2013
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March 2013 State of Israel Ministry of Education INES/NESLI Ministry of Education NES / L FACTS AND FIGURES FACTS S E I IN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM N I Special Edition g n 9 t ti h Mee March 2013 2013 Economics and Budgeting Administration March 2013 State of Israel Ministry of Education Facts and Figures IN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM NE S/ SL E I N I Special Edition 9 g th in Meet Written and adapted by: Yoav Azulay, Assaf Ashkenazi, Livnat Gabrielov, Daniel Levi-Mazloum, Ran Ben Dov Jerusalem, 2013 Economics and Budgeting Administration Translation: Sagir International Translations Ltd. Graphic Design: Shahar-Shoshana Studio, Scorpio 88 Group Photographs: By courtesy of: The Development Administration, Ministry of Education The Israel Youth Hostel Association Mr Hagai Aharon, The International Center for the Study of Bird Migration, Latrun Mrs Yonat Katzir for the Jewish Mandala Coordination and production: Publications Division, Ministry of Education Address for further contact: Economics and Budgeting Administration Jerusalem 91911 ISRAEL Tel: 972-2-5602253, Fax: 972-2-5602248 E-mail: [email protected] 2 Table of Contents Director-General’s Address 5 Introduction by the Deputy Director-General and Director 7 of Economics and Budgeting Administration Introduction 9 Chapter 1 Organization of Studies, Main Objectives and Activities 15 by Education Level 1. Pre -Primary Education........................................................................................17 2. Primary Education- Educational Approach, Tools and Programs................ 21 3. Secondary Education.......................................................................................... 25 4. Special Education................................................................................................. 32 Chapter 2 Educational Expenditure 33 1. Ministry of Education Budget.......................................................................... 35 2. National Expenditure on Education............................................................... 42 3. Expenditure on Education by Households.................................................. 46 Chapter 3 Development of Education: Facts and Figures 49 1. Students in Pre-Primary, Primary, Secondary and Academic Education................................................................................... 51 2. Students in Higher Education.......................................................................... 60 3. Teachers in the Education System.................................................................. 62 4. Indices on the Development of the Education System.......................... 68 Chapter 4 International Comparison 71 1. Israel’s Education System in International Comparison, EAG 2012................................................................................................................. 73 2. National Expenditure on Education............................................................... 78 3. Indices on Education........................................................................................... 82 4. Learning Environment and Organization of Schools.............................. 84 Chapter 5 Adult Education, Youth and Society 91 1. Adult Education......................................................................................................91 2. Youth and Society Administration.................................................................. 95 3 4 DIRECTOR-GENERAL’S ADDRESS The main role of Israel’s education system is to produce well-prepared graduates capable of succeeding in a rapidly-changing global village, of actively and meaningfully participating in the labor force, and of contributing to Israel’s economy. Graduates who will forge an Israeli society based on love of one’s fellows, unity and mutual responsibility, social justice, building up and defending the homeland of Israel, charity, giving, and peace. For the past four years the Ministry of Education has been guided by a strategic plan from which quantifiable and measurable objectives are derived, and which sets clear goals for the Ministry as a whole. Among these goals are: intensifying values education, improving pupil attainment levels, achieving an optimal school climate, reducing scholastic disparities, raising teacher quality levels and enhancing teachers’ status in society, strengthening vocational education, and adapting the education system to 21st century needs. Over this period Israel’s education budget grew by over ten billion shekels, and was directed toward achieving these objectives. Numerous budgets were also allocated in order to ease the parental payment burden by applying the principle of free schooling for three and four year-olds, subsidizing annual trips, stipend increases for school missions to Poland, and implementing a textbook lending program for all age groups. At the same time, he Ofek Hadash and Oz LiTmura reforms continued to be implemented; these reforms, extend school day comprising small group tutoring hours, as well as significantly improve teacher salaries and physical work conditions in the schools. All of these developments have indeed led to a rise in the percentage of pupils eligible for matriculation, and improved pupil attainments on international examinations. In 2011 Israel made its greatest leap forward to date in terms of pupil achievements: During the period of 2007-2011 Israel’s mathematics ranking rose from 24th place to 7th place (a 53-point improvement); in science Israel rose from 25th place to 13th place (a significant 48-point improvement). Israel was also ranked second among the OECD countries for its percentage of academically-trained citizens. This booklet provides a description of the Israeli education system’s structure, functions and activities, in addition to worldwide comparisons and an outline of future plans. It is our hope that this publication pamphlet will highlight the challenges faced by Israel’s education system, and of the extensive efforts that are being made to meet them. Mrs Dalit Stauber Director General 5 6 INTRODUCTION BY THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR- GENERAL AND DIRECTOR OF THE ECONOMICS AND BUDGETING ADMINISTRATION This publication is a special, pioneering edition published for OECD representatives who are members of NESLI, in honor of the ninth annual conference that will be taking place for the first time in Israel. We are privileged and honored to host this year’s conference in Tel Aviv. We hope that this innovative publication will begin a new tradition of publishing informational bulletins about the education systems of the different OECD countries that will host future conferences in the coming years. The facts and figures presented in this publication are the result of work by the staff of the Economics and Statistics Department of Israel’s Ministry of Education, and are based on data from Israel’s Education Ministry, the Central Bureau of Statistics and Education at a Glance (EAG). From this booklet one can understand Israel’s education system, using the charts and various explanations presented. The main topics covered in this journal are: Background and history – development of the education system in Israel since the founding of the state Legal and constitutional aspects, including principle reforms Budgetary issues – size, components and uses of the budget, and its development over time Students and teachers – facts and figures. Description of all educational levels, from kindergarten to academic education International comparisons We believe it is very important to develop international comparative indicators by learning from the experience of other countries and through cooperation, which will encourage dialogue in order to advance and improve education systems in every country. Moshe Sagi Deputy Director-General and Director of the Economics and Budgeting Administration 7 8 INTRODUCTION Israel’s education system has undergone several major developments since the state was established in 1948. In the 1950s, a period of mass aliyah1 to Israel, the state was faced with the need to education for a population that was growing rapidly. But the country’s educational infrastructure was minimal at best: There were few schools and classrooms, a lack of certified teachers, parents themselves were poorly educated and there was severe economic difficulty. Thus these years of aliyah led to a change in the population of pupils in primary schools. Given this background, reforms were instituted in the education system during the 1960s (such as the establishment of lower secondary schools). The reforms brought pluralism to the schools and curricula while adapting them to the needs of the heterogeneous populations. At the end of the 1970s through the 1980s there was rapid growth in the number of pupils attending secondary schools. Once again, beginning in 1990, there was large-scale aliyah to Israel, and from 1990-2000 nearly one million immigrants arrived in the country, increasing the population by more than 20%. The overall number of pupils in the schools rose by some 28%; about half of the increase in the number of pupils can be attributed to aliyah. Since the 1990s the higher education system (post-secondary schools, academic colleges and universities) has seen accelerated growth, and from 1990-2012 the number of those receiving degrees has increased by a factor of 2.9. The State of Israel sees education as a matter of national priority, and this attitude is reflected in the size of the education segment within the state budget.