Alarming study reveals Israeli teachers lag behind global peers substantially in all metrics

A new study by Yael Melzer of the Shoresh Institution for Socioeconomic Research, released Wednesday, reveals that Israeli teachers significantly lag behind their global peers in literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving skills. Analyzing data from the OECD's 2022-2023 Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), the study found that Israeli teachers scored below the average of 18 comparison countries across all metrics, with a notable skills gap between academically educated teachers and other Israeli workers with academic degrees. This disparity was particularly pronounced among men and those with STEM backgrounds. The study also identified substantial differences within Israel's education system, with teachers in the Arab and Ultra-Orthodox streams, as well as early-childhood educators, scoring markedly lower.

“The findings show that Israel's education system is struggling to attract and retain highly skilled academics,”

said Shoresh president Prof. Dan Ben-David, who, along with the study, recommended reforms such as raising admission requirements for teacher training, altering compensation structures, and implementing targeted efforts in Arab and early-childhood education to improve the quality of teaching in Israel.