Without equipment or training: The reality of the AI English learning revolution in middle schools

Three weeks before the start of the school year, Minister of Education Yoav Kisch promised that about 300,000 middle school students would learn English using artificial intelligence. In practice, however, teachers have not yet been trained, many schools lack the necessary equipment, and the software to be used has not yet been selected through the tender process.

The "English for All" program is part of Project 720, a national initiative for personalized learning. Kisch announced its expansion to all middle schools following a pilot project conducted last year in 28 schools, most of which were located in affluent areas with high-performing students.

A review by "Hayom" reveals that the evaluation report for the pilot is still being processed. In other words, the Ministry of Education made a large-scale decision without knowing the actual results of the pilot, and these findings have not been presented to the public.

Lack of infrastructure and untrained teachers

The gap between the announcement and reality is evident on the ground. Last year, approximately 335,000 students were enrolled in grades 7 to 9 across 977 schools. The program is expected to reach 900 schools, where multiple classes will need simultaneous access to computers, tablets, headphones, and microphones.

The Ministry of Education states that learning will take place using existing school equipment. However, infrastructure shortages in the periphery mean some students will have to use their personal mobile phones—just as a ban on smartphone use in grades 7 to 9 comes into effect. Furthermore, there are concerns regarding students' access to technological equipment at home.

Teacher training will only begin after the school year starts. The program will be presented to principals on August 16, with professional development courses for teachers scheduled for October. Given that many teachers lack experience in technological environments, extensive training will be required. The software providers have also yet to be selected.

The project involves massive procurement of digital learning systems. The Ministry of Education must pay private companies for applications or teaching bots, which requires a formal tender process. However, the companies participating in the tender have not yet been chosen. It is worth noting that the Ministry previously scrapped a multi-million shekel teaching bot due to poor quality.

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"It is sad that the Ministry of Education does not learn from global experience"

Prof. Yizhar Oplatka from the School of Education at Tel Aviv University criticizes the move: "While the world is sobering up from the illusion that laptops and diverse software will improve test scores—and is gradually returning to traditional teaching that requires students to write by hand and use textbooks—it is sad to see the Ministry of Education promoting AI learning without learning from global experience."

According to him, three questions illustrate the difficulty of replacing traditional teaching with AI: "First, are our teachers certified AI experts? I doubt it. Second, will students use AI for learning or deviate to other topics, and in a class of 40, what is the chance the teacher will notice? Third, do we want to develop young minds that depend on artificial thinking? The answer should be balance, not reliance on hopeless educational technology."

The Ministry of Education stated: "The picture emerging from this inquiry is far from reality. The '720 English' program was built after comprehensive professional staff work. It is planned to integrate into existing school infrastructure and does not require new equipment as a condition for implementation. Teachers will receive accredited training, and the system will provide AI tools for real-time pedagogical recommendations. As with any large-scale educational move, implementation will be accompanied by continuous learning and adjustments."