According to the coalition deal signed by Yesh Atid on Friday, the next
education minister, MK Shai Piron, will formulate a new core curriculum for
elementary education within the six months of the swearing- in of the
government.
The curriculum, which will be implemented two years after it
is approved, is to apply to every pupil in the country and will allow different
communities to propose unique additional programs that reflect their way of
life.
The ministry also is to take over responsibility for early
childhood education and technological education. The state commits to assigning
dedicated resources and budgets to these fields. This decision will be
implemented in time to be included in the current education
budget.
Following the recommendation of the Trajtenberg Committee,
established in 2011 to examine and propose solutions to Israel’s socioeconomic
problems, the government will cancel the criterion allowing funding for
religious education institutions when it comes to students who are not
Israelis.
Yesh Atid’s coalition deal specifies that the 50-year seniority
bonus offered to teachers will now take into consideration a maximum of five
years of experience in a foreign country. For example, if a teacher has worked
in Israel for 45 years and abroad for an additional five, they are entitled to
receive the salary bonus.
Piron said on Thursday that he was nervous
about his new post, which he called “the real national defense ministry,” and
reiterated his commitment to “overhauling the failing education
system.”
The Yesh Atid platform calls for reducing the number of
mandatory matriculation exams for high-schoolers; improving the integration of
children in special education program into the regular system; offering students
in the periphery better opportunities; and combating racism and discrimination
in education.