Education Minister Yoav Kisch Attributes School Declines to Wartime Reality
Education Minister Yoav Kisch addressed declining academic metrics in a 103FM interview, attributing the drops to the ongoing war while stressing that the results align with broader OECD trends.
Education Minister Yoav Kisch addressed the stark decline in the education system's performance metrics during an interview with 103FM on Wednesday. "There are drops and significant drops. Unequivocally," he admitted.
Putting Academic Declines in Wartime Context
Despite acknowledging the poor results, Kisch argued that the downward trend was entirely expected given the exceptional circumstances Israel has faced. "No one is challenging these data points. The only gap in perception was the basic understanding that these drops are not surprising, amidst attempts to manufacture a sense of shock," he stated.
«We are still in Gaza in March 25, fighting. We haven't even started the fighting in Lebanon, and about half a year before the return of the hostages, we are in a wartime routine.»
Addressing the northern arena, the minister noted that security challenges persist. "There is still fire from Lebanon, and we have not defeated Lebanon. Evacuees in the north have not yet returned, we are in a very complex event. But we are in a year and a half of routine warfare," Kisch added.
International Comparisons and Future Investments
Kisch emphasized that he does not view the current academic outcomes as positive, noting that he consulted with OECD Education Director-General Andreas Schleicher. According to Kisch, Schleicher remarked that while Israel has experienced declines, "it is not surprising," pointing to a broader downward trend across OECD member states over the past decade.
-
Comparison with Germany: Kisch noted that even strong nations like Germany experienced steeper educational declines than Israel during comparable recent periods.
-
Future Outlook: The minister stressed the need for increased educational investments to enact repairs and expressed his intention to remain in office to witness subsequent improvements in PISA rankings.
"There is a drop, no one is denying it. This drop was expected. During COVID-19, exams were postponed by a year. I said: We will take them, because I want to know and investigate. I am not surprised, just as the OECD is not surprised, and I want to be the next Minister of Education because we will see the rises in PISA. We made corrections and investments and gave children a lot," Kisch concluded.
