Teachers Union Chief Blames Shortages and Violence for PISA Declines
Israel Teachers Union Secretary-General Yaffa Ben David linked poor PISA scores to severe teacher shortages, criticized lack of protection against school violence, and urged strategic reforms during a conference interview.
Yaffa Ben David, Secretary-General of the Israel Teachers Union, blamed the severe teacher shortage for Israeli students' poor PISA test results during an interview at the "People of the State" conference held by Ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth on Tuesday.
The Teacher Shortage Crisis
Ben David emphasized that the lack of qualified educators is most acute in the Tel Aviv and Central districts, which saw the steepest declines in PISA scores. Where teacher shortages are less severe, drops were far smaller. She criticized the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Education for ignoring prior warnings, assuming the union was merely agitating for higher wages. Although a global issue, Ben David argued that Israel needs a 20-year strategic plan to recruit and train top talent.
"We warned about this situation, but the ministries said there was no shortage. They thought we just wanted to talk about wages, so they paid less attention. Today we see that this disregard has blown up in our faces."
Violence and Lack of Protection
Addressing violence against educators, Ben David reported a significant drop in extreme cases handled personally—from about 80 last year to nearly 20 since the beginning of the current school year. However, she stressed that teachers remain unprotected, facing verbal abuse, public humiliation, and severe threats from parents.
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Teachers fear coming to school due to parental threats.
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The Ministry of Education fails to provide adequate backing or response.
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Strict sanctions against violent parents and students are urgently needed.
Upcoming Elections and Wage Negotiations
Regarding the upcoming Knesset elections, Ben David warned against disconnected plans proposed by politicians, asserting that meaningful reform requires close cooperation with teachers' organizations. As a new round of wage negotiations approaches, she noted that strikes remain a last resort, emphasizing red lines aimed at strengthening teacher status, raising salaries, and granting proper authority alongside responsibility.
Finally, addressing the recent tragic incident in northern Israel where a teenager was killed by unexploded ordnance during a school trip, Ben David called to await the investigation's conclusions, noting that school trips operate strictly under regulations mandated by the Ministry of Education.
