One cannot help but to see the irony of the latest results of the international grading system, comparing educational systems in 49 countries. Israel continues to slide, now ranking 24 of 49 countries, as compared to the United States (9), or Russia (8). In 2003, Israel’s position was considerably better, ranking 19.
The irony, perhaps the fact that Education Minister Prof. Yuli Tamir, who proudly exhibits her extreme left-wing and anti-chareidi leanings, continues to bash the chareidim for opting to ignore basic secular subjects from their curriculum. While one may agree or disagree with the decision of the chareidi system, the children by all accounts do learn the subject matter presented to them, unlike the students of the nation’s public school system, who seem to reach new lows every years based on the international standard.
Another example of the ailing system is the nationwide mathematics aptitude exam, with the average grade, 44.1% in 8th grade – 59.2% in 5th grade. The exam was taken by over 110,000 students around the country as a measure of system wide scholastic achievement. The exam was given last year and the results were released on Tuesday.
The poor results are evident in other subjects as well, such as science & technology (56.5% in 8th grade – 59.2% in 5th grade). Grades in Hebrew and English were somewhat better, but not a badge of honor, reflecting a general trend. In Hebrew, 8th graders scored 67.9% and 5th graders 78.4%. English – 8th graders 73.8% and 5th graders 58.4%)
One of the reasons given was last year’s two-month strike and the job actions and strike days that plagued the school system in the previous academic year as well.
Tamir blames the results on the poor level of the nation’s teachers, stating “we must raise the level of our teachers”.
Another alarming statistic released in the report states that 14% of the students admitted to involvement in a violent incident during the month preceding the exam.
What is obvious, for whatever the reason, the nation’s public schools are becoming increasingly violent and students are learning less each year. In the meantime Prof. Tamir, continue diverting attention away from the problem and keep bashing the chareidim.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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5 Responses
Even as a joke it’s not funny. Do not encourage her to keep bashing the chareidim, they have enough problems as it is.
A few years ago the Ed. Ministry commissioned a state-wide study which included students in state and Chinuch Atzmai schools, the results of which they then tried to bury and were later forced by public outrage (and possibly a court order; I’m not sure) to publicize. The results showed that across the board, the chinuch atzmai students scored–surprise, surprise–significantly HIGHER than state school students!
We’ll have none of Tamir’s garbage.
There is another factor here that needs being considered, IQ. For the past 60+ years the best and brightest of the Israeli Chilonim have been leaving the country. The upper echelons of Government, Academia, Foundations and Business in Chutz LeArtz are full of Yordim. They are not in Israel. This has led to the over all lowering of the IQ of the average Israeli Chiloni. Further exasperating this situation is that people of lower IQs have been marrying each other. In the Torah community the exact opposite has occurred. Since the standard of Torah is higher in Israel, over the past 60+ years the best and brightest of the Torah world have come to live and raise families in Israel.
As to the dramatic increase in violence, this is a direct result of the unJewsish, Erev Rav bringing 500,000 Russian Goyim to Israel.
“RAISHIS CHOCHMO, YIRAS HASHEM.”