{
  "id": 7087830,
  "title": "Israel’s PISA collapse exposes a failing education system threatening its future - opinion",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/israels-pisa-collapse-exposes-a-failing-education-system-threatening",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-13T09:50:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Jerusalem Post",
    "slug": "jerusalem-post",
    "url": "https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-908099"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the lead-up to the 5787 election campaign, Israel has released concerning PISA test results, which serve as the global benchmark for comparing education systems. While it might be tempting to attribute these poor results to the haredim, or ultra-Orthodox, the reality is far more dire. The Knesset Research and Information Center reports that haredi boys are not adequately represented in the PISA sampling framework, with their representation in the actual sample being merely 3%, despite haredim constituting a sixth of the population and youth.\n\nPerhaps the most alarming figure is the extent of Israel's decline in core subjects. Reading scores dropped by 38 points in just three years, falling from 474 in 2022 to 436 in 2025. Mathematics and science also suffered significant declines, with scores decreasing by 25 and 23 points respectively. These are now Israel's lowest PISA results ever recorded, and they are substantially below the OECD average in all three subjects.\n\nNotably, 46% of Israeli students fail to reach even the baseline level of proficiency in mathematics, compared to the OECD average of 35%. Similarly, 37% of Israeli students agree that school has been a waste of time, compared to an average of 24% across OECD countries. Furthermore, the share of top performers in all subjects is below the average for developed countries. These attitudes towards learning and the education system are also cause for concern.\n\nThe Israeli Arab sector shows a narrowing gap with the Hebrew-speaking education system, but this is not due to improvements among weaker students, but rather, a faster deterioration in the latter. This equality no country should aspire to. Israel's educational gaps have narrowed somewhat, but this is not because weaker students are improving, but because the share of top performers has significantly declined.\n\nAdmittedly, wars and the COVID-19 pandemic may play a role in the downward trend, but the trend predates these events. The core issue lies with the teachers themselves. Israel's education system is failing to attract and retain talented individuals, resulting in a lack of investment and low professional status. The OECD data reveals that Israel invests 22% less per student than the OECD average, and far less than top performers.\n\nUltimately, the politicization of Israeli education is a chronic problem that must be addressed. Education ministers frequently arrive with their own worldviews, flagship programs, and priorities, making planning a decade-long endeavor rather than a fleeting political game. Moreover, the division between Jewish and traditional studies is problematic when core subjects such as reading, writing, math, and science are declining rapidly.\n\nIsrael needs a long-term education policy whose fundamental elements are insulated from changes in government and ministers. Broad national agreement must be reached on what an Israeli student must know, how much the country is willing to invest to attract top talent into the classroom, and how to measure the effectiveness of these efforts. Israel's qualitative edge lies in producing capable, innovative individuals who can think, invent, research, and build, an advantage that has driven the country's economic and technological success. However, this advantage is now at risk, threatening Israel's future.",
  "summary": "The figure that should truly alarm Israel is that the 2025 collapse is occurring not at the margins of the education system, but at its core. What should be done?",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Jerusalem Post",
        "title": "Ethiopia and Israel share a new year - and an opportunity to deepen their historic ties - opinion",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/ethiopia-and-israel-share-a-new-year-and-an-opportunity-to-deepen",
        "published": "2026-09-13T06:14:40.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}