25 Israel Education Facts (learn about Israel education system)

The Best Facts About School in Israel

Israel is a country located in Western Asia. It has an extremely important religious heritage, and its capital city is Jerusalem, which has a bit more than 936,000 inhabitants.

An interesting part of the country that I wanted to tackle is its education. In light of that, I have listed my 25 best facts about school in Israel, and I hope you will love them:

1. Religion is a very big deal in Israel, and the conflict impacts education

If you think about Israel, the first thing that comes to mind is usually religion… and conflict.

The country has been torn for many years now, because of the never-ending conflict with Palestine. Because of this, education in Israel took a severe hit.

2. Israeli schools are segregated… by faith

As I just told you, religion is very, very important for everyone in Israel and in the vicinity.

So important in fact that schools are separated by faith. There are still secular schools, Orthodox schools and Arab schools (where education is in Arabic, and where the Arab culture is focused).

3. It is the Israeli Ministry of Education that decides on the educational guidelines for the country

To make sure that everyone around the country will have (approximately) the same education, the Israeli Ministry of Education chooses the curriculum guidelines.

Therefore, there is a national curriculum, followed by every school around the country, even though there are some variations from time to time.

4. The Israeli school week starts on Sunday

While in most of the world, Sunday is dedicated to relaxing and preparing for the upcoming week, in Israel it is quite the opposite.

Don’t worry for the kids though, they can rest on Friday and Saturday instead, so it is not really that different.

5. The majority of Israeli schools are funded by the government

Generally speaking, it is extremely important to have free and accessible education, in any country. Because everyone can afford education, it really helps future generations.

This is the case for Israel, where even progressive schools are funded by the state.

6. Israel is one of the most educated countries in the world

Whether you believe it or not, Israel is very well educated, in fact, it has the highest number of university degrees per capita on the planet!

This is quite surprising considering how small and unpopular the country is. Want to study abroad? Think about Israel!

7. Everyone can have a decent basic education, even the unprivileged, in Israel

In most countries, boarding schools are only for the elite and privileged students. This usually creates huge disparities when it comes to education.

In Israel however, it is literally the opposite: boarding schools are reserved for underprivileged students who cannot afford regular education.

8. Israeli students call their teachers by their first name

This is not unique to Israel: in many cultures and countries, it is absolutely not shocking at all to call a teacher by their first name.

While you might think of this as outrageous, depending on what community you are in, it actually helps students and teachers bond more.

9. The Israeli education system is not focused on exams

Most of the world uses an education system based on meritocracy and therefore, has countless exams at the end of every school cycle.

In Israel though, education is very liberal. The curriculum is relaxed because there is only one final exam and none throughout the year.

10. Apprenticeship can also be education in Israel

One of the options for students in Israel who seek something else than a traditional degree is apprenticeship.

These programs are offered by the Israeli Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor. It helps them secure employment. They are overall excellent programs!

11. It is quite common to see weapon training in Israeli schools!

This sounds unbelievable, and yet it is true. Most pupils in Israeli schools are taught how to use firearms.

The government insists on this because right after school, there is military training right after school. Quite scary, isn’t it?

12. Students often serve in the military in Israel

As I said, the reason why so many students know how to use firearms in Israel is because there is military service.

Between school and college, some students sign up for a couple of years of military service.

13. Israel has more democratic schools than any other country

Democratic schools are a unique innovation. While there is no precise definition, just think of it as education where students can organize their daily activities the way they want to.

In fact, these are quite popular in Israel, as it is the country that boasts the highest number of them in the world (25 out of 4,200)!

14. Israel is also innovating its school assessment

Another thing the Israel education system is trying to improve is the assessment of students.

At the moment, 70 percent of students’ grades come from standard final tests, while the other 30 percent are customized by the teacher. They believe that relying less on standardized tests is better for the future of the country.

15. Many Israeli children choose to join a local youth movement

Movements are quite reputed in Israel. They are more than simple programs, they truly convey the idea of promoting social change.

These movements are either political, religious, or both, and each of them has its own philosophy. Activities begin when students are in 4th grade, and they can become movement leaders in high school.

16. The Israeli curriculum is still quite flexible

Even though it is the Israeli Ministry of Education that sets the ground rules for the education curriculum, it is still relatively flexible.

Indeed, each school can choose from a wide range of teaching materials and study units. Whatever suits them and their students best is used!

17. There are enrichment programs in Israel, dedicated to gifted children

While the emphasis is not put on exam results in Israel, gifted children representing the top three percent of each class can try to pass qualifying tests, and if they do, participate in enrichment programs.

In these programs, children learn to research and handle new material on their own.

18. In Israel, disabled children can learn just like others

No one is left behind in Israel, even disabled children. Depending on the nature of their handicap, they will either join a mainstream mixed-ability class, a special class in a mainstream school, or a special school.

All of these options are very adapted, and the teaching staff is ready and competent.

19. Mass immigration movements are a challenge for Israel’s education system

Since the beginning of the 1990s, more than one million Jews have come to Israel. They were fleeing from the former Soviet Union.

Also, two mass movements in 1984 and 1991 from Ethiopia brought almost the entire Ethiopian Jewish community to Israel.

20. Many Israeli children attend preschool

While preschool is usually not a big deal in many countries, this is not the case in Israel.

Many two-, three- and four-year-olds attend some kind of preschool. These programs are sponsored by local authorities, and there are daycare centers operated by women’s organizations.

21. There are four types of primary schools in Israel

Israel is definitely a multicultural country. In this scenario, it seems completely normal to have many possibilities for students, and in primary schools, they can choose from 4 groups.

State schools are the most popular, but there are also state religious schools, Arab and Druze schools, and private schools.

22. More and more schools are being founded in Israel

You have probably understood it by now: Israel is a very progressive country when it comes to education.

As a matter of fact, because of the growing concern of parents over the orientation of the education of their children, some new schools have been founded in the past few years.

23. Education in Israel is not only about the government, but also about parents

Education in Israel is a shared responsibility: both parents and the government pay, in some way, for the education of the youngsters.

It is poor students who occupy positions in free schools, but others need to pay school fees (or get support from social groups).

24. Israel is leading the way when it comes to education

Every country should probably take Israel as an example when it comes to education.

The education system there is unique and innovative, and always meets its development goals. In fact, Israel leads the world in many entrepreneurial and scholarly areas!

25. Education is a fundamental value in Israel and is cherished

The main reason why the school system in Israel is so good overall is probably the fact that they consider it a fundamental value, and a key to the future.

Every school aims to prepare responsible and independent children, able to become members of a multicultural and multireligious society.

So there you have them, these were all my 25 Israeli education facts. I hope you enjoyed them and that you learned something new today.

In case you want to learn more about the rest of the country’s education system, feel free to keep reading, as I still have lots of things to tell you about:

Israeli School Hours

Let’s keep going with our next part, dedicated to Israeli school hours. The typical school schedule in one country can often be very different from your own, and it’s always interesting to have more details on how students go on about their day.

Israel Primary School Schedule

School attendance is compulsory for children aged 6 to 16 in Israel, and it is free until age 18. Two years of nursery school are prescribed by law as well.

The three steps after preschool are primary school (grades 1 to 6), intermediate school (grades 7 to 9) and secondary school (grades 10 to 12).

In primary school, the week runs from Sunday to Thursday, Friday and Saturday being the weekend.

The academic year runs from September to July, and the teaching medium is either Arabic or Hebrew.

The school day typically lasts from 7:30 AM to 1:30 PM.

Israeli High School Schedule

Israel’s secondary education consists of 4 additional years. All of them are free, but only the first two are compulsory.

There are two types of high schools: academic high schools and comprehensive high schools.

Academic high schools are dedicated to preparing students to enter universities.

Comprehensive high schools provide a combination of academic and vocational training.

General Facts About Schooling in Israel

This last part is dedicated to general facts about schooling in Israel. More specifically, we’ll check 2 key figures that will give you a better understanding of the education level in Israel.

Enrollment in tertiary education for Israel: 66.28%

(Average for regions: Sub-Saharan Africa: 8.6% | South Asia: 20.8% | Arab States: 36.4% | East Asia: 36.5% | Latin America: 43.3% | Europe and Central Asia: 62% | North America: 84%)

Data from World Bank EdStats/UNESCO

Israel literacy rate: 97%

(Average for regions: Sub-Saharan Africa: 65.3% | South Asia: 72.9% | Arab States: 79.4% | Latin America: 93.7% | East Asia: 95.8% | Europe and Central Asia: 98.5%)

Data from World Bank EdStats/UNESCO

More Education Facts!

Do you want even more education facts about other countries?

Check out these facts:

• Education in Iraq
• Education in Afghanistan
• Education in Saudi Arabia

Or click here to see ALL the education facts up on the blog!

The Full List of 25 Israeli School Facts

1. Religion is a very big deal in Israel, and the conflict impacts education
2. Israeli schools are segregated… by faith
3. It is the Israeli Ministry of Education that decides on the educational guidelines for the country
4. The Israeli school week starts on Sunday
5. The majority of Israeli schools are funded by the government
6. Israel is one of the most educated countries in the world
7. Everyone can have a decent basic education, even the unprivileged, in Israel
8. Israeli students call their teachers by their first name
9. The Israeli education system is not focused on exams
10. Apprenticeship can also be education in Israel
11. It is quite common to see weapon training in Israeli schools!
12. Students often serve in the military in Israel
13. Israel has more democratic schools than any other country
14. Israel is also innovating its school assessment
15. Many Israeli children choose to join a local youth movement
16. The Israeli curriculum is still quite flexible
17. There are enrichment programs in Israel, dedicated to gifted children
18. In Israel, disabled children can learn just like others
19. Mass immigration movements are a challenge for Israel’s education system
20. Many Israeli children attend preschool
21. There are four types of primary schools in Israel
22. More and more schools are being founded in Israel
23. Education in Israel is not only about the government, but also about parents
24. Israel is leading the way when it comes to education
25. Education is a fundamental value in Israel and is cherished

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