"Years of neglect": The new coalition to save the education system

A month before the start of the school year, dozens of senior officials and educators have announced the establishment of a coalition to save the education system, demanding that it be made a central issue in the upcoming election campaign.

A shortage of teaching staff, low academic achievement, gaps between the center and the periphery, violence, the complex mental state of students, and the generally difficult situation of the education system have led a number of education experts and school staff to establish a coalition to save the state education system.

Their goal is to return education to the heart of the public and political agenda. They demand that all parties commit to a series of steps to strengthen the state education system and present worthy candidates for the position of Minister of Education. As reported in "Ha-Yom", a number of Knesset members and politicians have already expressed interest in the education portfolio.

Coalition members argue that for years, education has been pushed to the margins of national priorities, despite the fact that it directly affects the future of Israeli society, the economy, social cohesion, equal opportunities, and the resilience of the State of Israel. The coalition includes heads of local authorities, academics, researchers, educational teams, parents, and students.

"The last government brought years of neglect of state education to its peak and deepened severe discrimination compared to state-religious and ultra-Orthodox education," says Rami Hod, CEO of the Berl Katznelson Foundation's Ideological Center and one of the coalition's initiators. "The next government must reverse the direction and place state education at the top of national priorities. We call on all parties seeking to lead political change to also commit to educational change."

The coalition intends to demand that every party present a clear vision regarding the future of state education and commit to a series of practical steps. These include presenting worthy nominees for the education portfolio, establishing a National Council for Education, creating a council for state-Hebrew education, ensuring budget equality between all streams of education, and investing in educational and management teams.

It should be noted that in the past, various organizations have tried to establish bodies to influence decision-makers and the Ministry of Education, but these efforts often ended in dissolution. Over the years, politicians without a background in the field have been appointed to the position of Minister of Education, such as Yoav Gallant, Naftali Bennett, and Yoav Kisch.

Rotem Yadlin, head of the Gezer Regional Council and chair of the Education Committee of the Center for Regional Government, added: "State education is not a footnote in the election campaign; it is the infrastructure for the future of all our children. We expect the parties to show real and proven commitment. A budget plan that will reduce gaps, a commitment to full core studies for every student, and long-term investment that will restore stability to the classrooms. This is the time to put education at the center, because this is our greatest responsibility to the next generation."