Beyond Bennett: The Treasury's plan to restructure the Ministry of Education
Over 21,000 kindergartens and about 5,600 elementary schools may be transferred to local authority management. Approximately 200,000 teaching staff would no longer be state employees. The Ministry of Education would shift its focus to budgeting, regulation, and performance metrics.
The Ministry of Finance is formulating a plan to transfer more than 21,000 kindergartens for ages 3–6 and about 5,600 elementary schools from the exclusive management of the Ministry of Education to local authorities. This move effectively represents a major restructuring of the Ministry of Education: approximately 200,000 teaching staff would no longer be employed by the state, but rather by local authorities, various bodies, and educational networks.
Under the proposed plan, operational responsibility for schools and kindergartens would shift to local authorities, while the Ministry of Education would focus primarily on budgeting, performance measurement, and regulation. The plan, often described as an "urban renewal" (pinui-binui) project for the education system, was published in "Ha-Yom" and accounts for the potential of a three-month strike by the Teachers' Union.
The proposal was presented last month in the Knesset by the organization "Aleinu - Ha-Nechadim Ha-Meyasdim" ("We - The Founding Grandchildren"), calling for an end to the Ministry of Education's monopoly in light of recent years' failures. Naftali Bennett also addressed this in his education platform, with the first clause titled "Evacuation-Construction for the Ministry of Education's Bureaucracy," stating: "We are closing the education system of 1948 and opening the education system of 2026. This is how we will grant teachers and principals more autonomy, flexibility, and trust."
The Ministry of Finance aims to reduce the ministry's excessive centralization by downsizing its headquarters and transferring full operational responsibility to local authorities.
"The Ministry of Education's budget stands at 100 billion shekels per year, yet results remain poor. The system continues to deteriorate in both academic achievements, as evidenced by international tests, and in school climate, including violence against teaching staff and a lack of support for emotional needs," the report notes.
Additionally, the Ministry of Finance has long promoted a transition to a five-day school week, which would mean the complete cancellation of Friday classes. This remains a complex issue requiring negotiation with the Teachers' Union, which demands that teachers retain an additional day off, effectively resulting in a four-day work week.
The Ministry of Finance stated: "The Ministry of Finance is working to improve public service and government efficiency across various sectors. Initiatives are being explored within the education system as part of this effort. Once a final plan is formulated, it will be presented to policymakers."
