Netanyahu: Education reforms do not teacher screening

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Raising teachers' salaries is important, but while the move would end the school teachers' strike, it would not solve the crisis of the education system, opposition leader Binyamin Netanyahu said Wednesday. Speaking at a conference at Sapir College, Netanyahu said that despite investments in education over several years "a constant process of deterioration" took place. "The subject of screening candidates for teaching jobs has not been discussed in any of the suggested reforms. Today, there is none, and anyone can be accepted to a teacher's position." "The countries excelling in education are not necessarily those who pay their teachers the highest salaries, but those which keep an eye open on the quality of teachers entering the system," Netanyahu said. "All candidates should be screened already at the stage of applying for a teacher's diploma in universities."