A revolution is needed: we must have a different education system | Dr. Gali Nahari

While the reality around us changes daily, many feel that the Israeli education system has been stagnant for years. Against this backdrop, a stormy debate was sparked by the Ministry of Finance's dramatic decentralization plan, published this week, which proposes transferring the management of educational institutions and teaching staff to local authorities. Whether it is this revolution or another, one thing is clear: there is a wall-to-wall consensus that the current situation cannot continue.

If I ask you to imagine the State of Israel in its centennial year in terms of security, economy, or society, it is likely that you will find it difficult to predict exactly what the situation will be. In each of these areas, it is clear that numerous changes, crises, and developments will occur that will fundamentally alter the state of the country.

But what if I ask you to imagine how our children will learn in the centennial year? You will likely imagine exactly what is familiar to us. After all, the Israeli education system has not changed for decades, so why would it change now? Yet, reality is shattering before our eyes every day. It is a failing system toward which teachers and principals feel alienation, parents have lost trust, and students have lost interest, feeling that it is irrelevant and devoid of meaning. It is impossible to point to a single area in which it truly succeeds.

Is it reasonable for such a failing system to simply continue in the same way?

It is true that every minister who takes office brings with them plans and reforms. But most of the time, they include only "band-aids" in the form of budget additions, extra hours, and a variety of programs. In practice, we all see that it simply does not work and fails to produce the major change that is needed.

Unlike many areas where there are deep disagreements in Israeli society, there is a broad, wall-to-wall consensus regarding education.

It is about a deep transformation of all the mechanisms and structures of the education system. From addressing the sectoral structure that divides it into four systems and increases polarization, to a fundamental change in the way of learning. No more 45-minute lessons where over 30 students sit and learn in the same way. We must change the employment and budgeting model to allow greater flexibility and autonomy for local authorities and principals.

It may sound simple, but it is a revolution. And it will not be simple at all.

It means taking everything that is familiar to us and has been operating for years, and completely shaking it up to rebuild it from scratch.

Our politicians know that this is what needs to happen, but instead of facing reality and promoting change, they prefer to kick the problems down the road and apply irrelevant band-aids.

This is where our role as the public comes in: it is time for us to stand up and demand the necessary revolution. We must give them the courage and public legitimacy, showing that we will stand behind them if they commit to leading these deep changes.

The painful truth is that if we do not address the education system now, we might simply not reach the centennial year.

The author is the CEO of the Fourth Quarter movement and a former Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Education.