Israeli Students Face Double Math Matriculation Exams on a Single Day
Israeli high school students facing two math matriculation exams on the same day this summer criticize the Ministry of Education for excessive academic pressure.
Students aiming to complete their matriculation exams in mathematics in the upcoming summer session face a significant challenge, as two math questionnaires are scheduled for the exact same day. According to the academic calendar, exams for three, four, and five study units will all take place simultaneously. Students required to take two questionnaires argue that this decision places an undue burden on them, while the Ministry of Education points them to alternative testing dates.
The Burden on High Achievers
In recent years, high school matriculation exams in mathematics were split across two separate days, allowing students breathing room between different questionnaires. However, the newly published schedule omits this separation due to a Christian holiday occurring on the following day. By contrast, English exams will continue to span across two separate days.
While this change does not impact students taking only a single questionnaire, it has sparked strong opposition among those who need to sit for two exams in the same session. This group includes students wishing to improve previous grades, as well as gifted and high-achieving pupils aiming to complete two questionnaires in one academic year. They claim that condensing the exams into a single day forces them to cope with extreme pressure or postpone one of the tests.
"The Ministry of Education claims it wants all students to succeed in five-unit math and takes pride in that, but in practice, it puts spokes in the wheels of talented students who want to excel, and it is very frustrating," shared A., a five-unit math student from a high school in central Israel.
Ministry Response and Alternative Options
In response to the criticism, the Ministry of Education stated:
"The ministry clarifies that students wishing to take two math questionnaires are not required to do so on the same day, and can test in different sessions, including the winter session and the secondary summer session (Mo'ed Bet). Until the COVID-19 pandemic, math questionnaires were traditionally held on the same day, and since then the ministry has worked to split them whenever possible to ease the burden on students."
The ministry added that setting exam dates requires balancing the welfare of students with the logistical necessity of conducting all matriculation tests within a strict timeframe, while respecting holidays and observances across all sectors. Due to these constraints, splitting the exams was not feasible this year.
