PISA Report: Israeli Students Face Academic Decline Yet High Life Satisfaction
A PISA report reveals an unprecedented academic drop in Israeli schools alongside high student life satisfaction, ranking Israel third globally despite ongoing conflict.
A recently published PISA report reveals a complex picture of Israel's education system, highlighting a severe drop in academic achievement alongside unexpectedly high levels of life satisfaction among students, even amid ongoing conflict.
Academic Decline Across Key Subjects
The data shows a sharp drop in academic performance across all tested areas. Reading scores fell by 38 points, marking the lowest score Israel has ever recorded. Mathematics saw a 25-point decline, while science dropped by 23 points, representing historic lows since measurements began in 2006.
Minister of Education Yoav Kisch attributed the decline primarily to the ongoing war. However, critics note that evacuated students from border communities did not participate in the exams at all, pointing to structural gaps.
High Life Satisfaction Amid Crisis
Conversely, the report highlights the remarkable mental resilience of Israeli children. Despite the October 7 massacre and the Iron Swords War entering its fourth year, Israeli students report high levels of contentment.
When asked to rate their life satisfaction on a scale from 0 to 10, 30% of respondents answered that they were completely satisfied, compared to an OECD average of just 16%.
"Israel ranks third out of 33 countries in student life satisfaction, following Costa Rica and Mexico, with an average score of 7.82 compared to the global average of 7.22."
Social Climate and Bullying
Subgroup analysis shows that children from higher socioeconomic backgrounds report greater satisfaction than their peers from lower-income families. Notably, unlike global trends where boys report higher satisfaction than girls, Israel showed no gender gap.
Regarding the school climate, physical violence in Israel aligns with the international average. Exposure to relational aggression—such as threats, rumors, and online bullying—is lower than the global trend, with 62% reporting they rarely encounter such violence.
