52% dissatisfied with school teaching levels

Fifty-two percent of Israelis are dissatisfied with the level of instruction in schools, and 68% feel that the teachers are not suitable role models for children, according to a survey.

The survey was conducted by Prof. Itzhak Gilat and Dr. Niva Wengrowicz of the Levinsky College of Education in Tel Aviv’s Research Authority. For the fourth year in a row, the Teacher Status Index examined the status of teachers in Israel compared to other professions.

It examined the status in 2016 of medical professionals, lawyers, hi-tech employees, army professionals and social workers in comparison to teachers.

The study shows that there is a direct correlation between the status of a profession and salary. For example, the survey showed that doctors ranked the highest in overall status and received the highest salary among the six professions.

Gilat believes that changing the status of teachers is a critical step in improving these results as well as the overall education system. “Increasing the social status of teachers is crucial and it requires a significant change in perception,” he told The Jerusalem Post.

“If the status of teachers is improved, in addition to raising the monthly salary, the education system will be able to bring in higher-quality educators into the system and this will directly affect the quality and effectiveness of the students’ education,” Gilat said.