Shortage of more than 30 thousand professional teachers with appropriate training

The Ministry of Education in Israel is grappling with a dire shortage of qualified teachers as the upcoming school year approaches. The situation, termed a "quality shortage" by officials, reveals a significant gap in professional educators, particularly in science, mathematics, and language subjects.

Despite official reports highlighting a shortage of 2,800 teachers, the true deficit exceeds 30,000 teachers who possess appropriate training. This scarcity is set to disrupt schools, leading to class cancellations and overcrowded classrooms.

While official reports acknowledge a teacher shortage of 2,800, the actual deficit is far more pronounced. A staggering 30,000 professional educators with appropriate training are missing from the education system. This "quality shortage" significantly impacts scientific subjects, mathematics, English, and languages. The absence of qualified teachers in these subjects forces undertrained educators into these roles, compromising the quality of education.

The shortage's repercussions are felt acutely in specific subjects, particularly mathematics, English, and language instruction. Many classes are left without teachers, while in high schools, over 25,000 teachers are attempting to educate in subjects without meeting basic threshold conditions.

Educational System in Crisis

The education system in Israel faces a profound challenge. In over a quarter of high schools, no students study advanced mathematics, partially due to a lack of qualified instructors. The shortage also extends to elementary and middle schools, where teachers often lack proper subject-specific training.

Current educational standards mandate different qualifications for elementary, middle, and high school teachers. While elementary and middle school educators can teach with an education degree in the relevant subject, high school teachers must hold a bachelor's degree in the subject they teach. However, due to the shortage, teachers without proper qualifications have been placed in classrooms, contributing to the crisis.

Mathematics education has taken a severe hit, with data revealing that approximately 63% of elementary mathematics teachers lack the necessary training. The impact of this deficit is seen in international test scores and the number of graduates completing advanced math courses.

Language teaching, particularly Hebrew, faces significant challenges. About 75% of elementary school Hebrew teachers and 40% of middle and high school language teachers lack proper training. This deficiency affects language and literature instruction, leading to an alarming 55% shortage of language teachers across age groups. The situation is dire in science education, with the National Research and Development Council urging the declaration of a state of national emergency. The looming retirement of veteran teachers and a lack of interest among new educators compound the shortage, potentially leading to a total absence of science teachers within a decade.

In contrast to the wider crisis, Arab schools face a somewhat different situation. The Arab education sector experiences a surplus of qualified teachers due to high demand. The lack of training is less pronounced in the Arab public schools compared to other issues like budget constraints.

Israel's education system is grappling with a severe teacher shortage, undermining the quality of instruction in crucial subjects. The reported deficit of 2,800 teachers pales in comparison to the actual shortage of over 30,000 trained educators. The crisis impacts mathematics, language, and science education, with implications for student performance and overall educational quality. Urgent measures are needed to address this dire situation and secure a brighter future for Israel's students.