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Israeli schools

Children arrive for the first day of school in the southern Israeli city of Ashdod, September 1, 2025. (Liron Moldovan/Flash90)
Israel plummets to worst-ever OECD education scores in math, reading, science
By Stuart Winer and ToI Staff
Drop seen in all three skills compared to previous assessment in 2022; country descends to 33rd among developed countries; minister blames war conditions at time of 2025 testing
Swastikas sprayed during a break-in at Shvilim democratic school in Pardes Hanna on September 6, 2026. (Pardes Hanna Municipality)
September 6, 2026, 6:29 pm
Pardes Hanna school broken into, daubed with swastikas and a racial slur
Municipality condemns ‘expression of racism, hate and violence,’ days into school year; police investigating, with perpetrator and motive still unclear
By Noam Lehmann
View of an empty classroom at a school in Tel Aviv, during a strike, on May 4, 2025. Yehoshua Yosef/Flash90)
August 26, 2026, 6:04 am
Israeli teachers lag behind OECD peers in literacy, numeracy, problem-solving — study
Shoresh Institution highlights educators’ low skill level in science, technology, engineering, math; recommends teachers first get a degree in a discipline, then a teaching qualification
By Sue Surkes
Children return to school following the ceasefire in the war with Hezbollah at Gamla Primary School in Katzrin, Golan Heights, April 19, 2026. (Michael Giladi/Flash90)
August 25, 2026, 8:53 am
Nearly 90% of Israeli parents say their kids’ education was harmed by Iran war – poll
Ahead of new school year, parents say 80% of children were hurt emotionally, 74% socially; however, 63% of Haredi families say kids not harmed by war; country short 30,871 teachers
By ToI Staff
Education Minister Yoav Kisch (left of center) and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right of center) sit with students at the Dekel Vilnai Middle School in the settlement of Ma’ale Adumim in the West Bank, to launch an AI-powered English language program on June 11, 2026. (Haim Zach / GPO)
June 21, 2026, 10:40 am
With massive teacher shortages, Israel plans on teaching English to middle schoolers through AI
PM and education minister announce national program to move English lessons on screens. Since 40% of 19,000 English teachers don’t have training, could AI do much worse?
By Rossella Tercatin
Illustrative: Israeli children, parents and staff clean at "Gan Nitzan" in Givatayim, as schools and kindergartens are due to re-open after being closed for more than a month due to the war with Iran, April 08, 2026. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)
June 8, 2026, 1:19 pm
Schools to reopen Tuesday, after students kept home for a day due to missile fire
Parents scrambled Monday as classrooms closed, but workplaces opened after attacks from Iran, Houthis; State Comptroller’s audit had said some 40% of schools lack proper shelter
By Rossella Tercatin and Emanuel Fabian
Illustrative photo of Israeli high school students taking an exam, in Tel Aviv on June 29, 2020. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
May 1, 2026, 12:33 am
Only 22% of Israeli 9th graders met English requirements in latest tests, sparking alarm
Only 9% of 9th-graders at Arabic-speaking schools met English standards, compared to 27% in Hebrew-speaking system; English taught less overall, with schools facing teacher shortage
By ToI Staff
Education Minister Yoav Kisch visits a school in Rishon Lezion as children return to classes following a ceasefire with Iran, April 9, 2026. (Jonathan Shaul/Flash90)
April 9, 2026, 3:20 pm
Summer school programs to be extended after weeks of wartime closures
Activities for elementary students to run 3 extra weeks, expand till 6th grade, says Education Ministry; middle school catch-up plan seeks to address gaps caused by Iran conflict
By Ariela Karmel
Illustrative: An empty classroom at a school in Safed, northern Israel, on August 31, 2025. (David Cohen/Flash90)
March 15, 2026, 6:48 pm
Several cities keep schools shut despite revised guidelines allowing them to reopen
Ashkelon, Ariel and Dimona decide conditions are not yet suitable to reopen their education systems, though the Home Front Command designated them as areas at lower risk
By Rossella Tercatin
Education Minister Yoav Kisch attends a joint meeting of the Education, Culture and Sports Committee, the Welfare Committee, and the Committee on the Rights of the Child at the Knesset in Jerusalem, January 26, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
March 12, 2026, 12:54 pm
Education minister: Some schools may reopen next week, but not in Tel Aviv area or north
Yoav Kisch holds situational assessment in northern town of Nahariya; Education Ministry asks IDF to swiftly assess possibility of enabling schools in other areas to open on Sunday
By Rossella Tercatin and ToI Staff
People take shelter as sirens warning of incoming Iranian missiles sound in Tel Aviv, Saturday, March 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
March 9, 2026, 2:13 pm
Schools to stay closed, gathering restrictions remain unchanged until end of week
Home Front Command says tighter restrictions to remain hours, forcing education minister to walk back announcement that schools could resume operating in certain areas
By Rossella Tercatin, Emanuel Fabian and Ariela Karmel
Illustrative: Ultra-Orthodox girls make their way to school in Jerusalem, November 24, 2020. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
September 2, 2025, 11:35 pm
Education Ministry intervenes after Haredi schools refuse to admit Sephardim
Ministry says offending schools in Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh could be subject to ‘denial of funding’ and revocation of their licenses to operate
By Sam Sokol and Rossella Tercatin
Israeli students on the first day of school at Sdot Eshkol elementary school in southern Israel, September 01, 2025. (Tsafrir Abayov/Flash90)
September 1, 2025, 11:33 am
2.5 million kids return to school, including in Gaza border and northern communities
High school students strike in protest of the continuation of war in Gaza, call for hostage deal; leaders hail bittersweet return to war-devastated schools, resilience of returnees
By Nava Freiberg, Diana Bletter, Sue Surkes and ToI Staff
Volunteers for Latet fill backpacks with basic educational supplies for the new school year. (Yakir Amos)
August 31, 2025, 10:05 pm
As children go back to school, two reports detail vast socio-economic gaps
A third of parents foregoing certain lunchbox foods due to cost; 67% of low income families say children lack basic school supplies; 84% unable to fund afterschool programs
By Sue Surkes
An AI generated image purporting to show sextuplets starting 1st grade that was published by the Education Ministry on August 29, 2025. (Education Ministry)
August 30, 2025, 5:07 pm
Education Ministry slammed for AI image of kids starting 1st grade
Facebook post on fictional sextuplets with made-up backstory panned as ’embarrassing’ and ‘chauvinistic’; ministry says post was made in jest, urges ‘critical thinking’ online
By ToI Staff
Part of the Reshit School in the southern city of Sderot, designed by Zarta Studio. (Yarden Baider Sagy)
July 22, 2025, 8:17 am
Gaza border architectural firm’s designs aim to protect body and elevate spirit
Launched a year after Hamas seized power in the Strip, Zarta Studio has a reputation for building beautiful structures that are actually fortresses
By Sue Surkes
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