42% of teaching graduates from the state-religious education system were absorbed into the secular education system
According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, 42% of teaching graduates from the state-religious sector in 2025 were absorbed into secular schools. This trend has become a primary method for addressing the teacher shortage.
In 2025, 42% of teaching graduates from the state-religious education system were absorbed into the state-Hebrew (secular) education system. Among graduates of academic retraining programs within the state-religious system, this figure reached 75%, while 29% of those with a bachelor's degree in education also moved to the secular system.
According to a statement from the Central Bureau of Statistics released on Wednesday, 9% of graduates from Haredi seminaries in 2025 were absorbed into the state-Hebrew education system, and 23% into the state-religious system. Additionally, 24% of teaching graduates from the Arab education system found employment within the Hebrew education system.
It appears that one of the primary ways to overcome the teacher shortage in the state-Hebrew education system is by absorbing teachers from other streams, even when it involves a significantly different value base.
The number of new students in education rose by 9%, from 6,500 in 2025 to 7,000 in 2026. This likely marks an all-time record, surpassing the previous high of approximately 6,700 in 2016 and recovering from a low of 5,200 in 2023.
However, most of this growth occurred outside the state-Hebrew education system, where the shortage is most acute:
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In the state-Hebrew education system, there was an increase of about 3% (from 2,400 to 2,500 new students).
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In the state-religious education system, there was an increase of 12.3% (from 2,700 to 2,900 students).
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In the state-Arab education system, the number rose from 1,500 to 1,700 (an increase of about 12.5%), despite a massive surplus of teachers in that sector.
