Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on the occasion of National Student Day, met with student leaders from around the country in his Jerusalem office on Tuesday, 12 Sivan 5773. Among those present was National Union of Israel Students Chairman Uri Reshtik. Also participating in the meeting were Education Minister Rabbi Shai Piron, Deputy Minister for Youth & Student Affairs Ofir Akunis and Prime Minister’s Office director-General Harel Locker.

The prime minister said “There are needs that must be dealt with but there are also great changes. We stopped very negative trends in education in general and in higher education in particular, and we have begun to turn them around after the ‘lost decade.’ The previous and current governments were and are committed to investing over 7 billion NIS in higher education and this is what led to the turnaround.

“There are still needs such as lowering the cost of housing and the cost of living, and these must be invested in and broken; we will act in this sphere as well. We must improve the education that we provide, from preschool to higher education and beyond, and make it more efficient. The electronic revolution requires us to jump forward, and be ahead of the world, not behind it. Alongside technology, I think that we cannot neglect our heritage and the spiritual values that are important to us.”

Student Chairman Reshtik thanked the Prime Minister for his willingness to mark National Student Day. He added that “Israeli students take responsibility for the society in which they live; therefore, they request that the government to build the appropriate infrastructure that would allow students to be productive citizens who contribute to society and thus significantly influence making ours into a more just society. This infrastructure includes investing in higher education, inter alia, by making it more accessible to residents of the periphery and helping immigrant, minority and economically disadvantaged students. Such an investment is pure profit for the Israeli economy which will benefit from the integration of more academics in the labor force.”

Minister Piron added, “Marking National Student Day expresses our recognition of the student public to the development of the State of Israel and Israeli society, and it gives the message that the State of Israel ascribes great importance to developing its human capital. Higher education is the main key toward integrating into society. In the end, the student public joins the labor market and translates its studies into action. Therefore, cooperation between institutions of higher education, society industry and the economy is of crucial importance.”

Minister Piron announced that he intends to advance the accessibility of higher education to all sectors as part of a comprehensive approach regarding equal opportunity in society and the use of higher education as a primary tool in advancing equality and strengthening the link between preschool-to-secondary studies and higher education. He added: “The educational system must define matriculation exams that match the needs of academia. On the other hand, there is a need for academia to adapt itself to the needs of the Education Ministry regarding its limitations and educational goals. I have set a strategic goal – that we will not need all the institutions that intermediate between secondary education and academia or at least reduce the dependence on them. This adaptation is especially relevant given the Education Ministry’s plan to reduce the matriculation exams and strengthen the pedagogic responsibility of school principals.”

Deputy Minister Akunis referred to the Finance Ministry’s intention to eliminate the tax credit for academics: “I am in touch with the Finance Minister on this issue in the hope of bringing about a re-evaluation of the cancellation of the benefit. Today more than ever, it is important to invest in advancing students and the higher education system since they are the maim potential for growth in the Israeli economy.” Deputy Minister Akunis called on Education Minister Piron to join in the effort, adding, “The tax credit is an incentive for many people to attend the academic institutions in Israel and acquire a higher education.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)