'Israeli students register highest-ever test scores'

Education Ministry report shows dramatic improvements in student scores from all sectors; Sa'ar warns against complacency.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Chart 370 (photo credit: Education Ministry)
Chart 370
(photo credit: Education Ministry)
Israeli students from all sectors of society registered dramatic increases in test scores in all subjects, the Education Ministry announced Tuesday.
According to an Education Ministry summary of 2011 test scores, Israeli students registered their highest scores on international tests since they started being recorded in the late 1990s.
Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar warned against complacence following the release of the report. "The crisis in education is ongoing," he said. "The writing is on the wall. Together we must cope with the reality and change it... It is our obligation to the next generation."
Hebrew speakers ranked in the top-10 in the world in all subjects, while all socio-economic sectors registered increases in test scores. Arabic-speakers, while still lagging behind their Hebrew-speaking counterparts, also scored higher than in previous years in mathematics, sciences and reading comprehension.
In mathematics, Israel catapulted from 24th place in 2007 to 7th place in 2011, while achieving impressive scores in sciences and reading.
Hatnuah (The Tzipi Livni Party) leader Tzipi Livni expressed pride in the education ministry's report, saying "These statistics emphasize the important role education can play in minimizing social inequalities."