High school dropout rate falls 1.3% in 2007

Education Minister Yuli Tamir presented statistics Monday which showed that the high school dropout rate dropped from 5.4% overall in 2006 to 4.1% in 2007. Tamir presented the data at the Beersheba Conference. The most dramatic decrease was among Russian-born students which went from 7.1% to 4%. Arab male students dropped out the most both in 2006 and 2007. Tamir said the statistics were not exact because they included those studying in alternative frameworks and that her office would come up with a standard measurement over the course of the year. The ministry has said that it would target dropouts in the non-Jewish and immigrant sectors this year.