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Israel has seen a significant drop in maths and science scores following the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study by Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). According to the study, which was conducted in Israel in May 2023, among 8th grade students in 44 countries and three educational entities, Israel fell from 16th to 25th place in science tests compared to 2019. At the same time, the results in mathematics were even more dramatic, with the country falling from 9th to 23rd place.
According to the study, the average score in the world fell by 11-12 points after the pandemic, but in Israel, the decline was 32 points. There has been a significant increase in the number of students who are unable to achieve the minimum results in these subjects: one in five students is now in the “below threshold” category, compared to one in eight in 2019.
The significant gap between Hebrew-speaking and Arab students also worsened. Hebrew-speaking students lost 26 points in maths and 29 points in science, while Arabic-speaking students dropped 56 and 49 points respectively.
Israeli Ministry of Education plans to improve results
The Israeli Ministry of Education drew attention to the fact that the country had been implementing lockdowns for 130 days, while some countries with fewer lockdowns showed improvements in their TIMSS results. The agency noted that the test results reflect a conservative response to the pandemic and security challenges.
The Ministry of Education also revealed ambitious plans to improve the educational achievements of Israeli students. It is planned to update the curriculum to meet international standards, make it mandatory to spend 15 hours a week in maths and 14 hours in science, introduce new tests, use digital tools and artificial intelligence in teaching, and other measures.
Israeli Minister of Education Yoav Kish said: “Investing in the next generation is the surest guarantee of national resilience. As soon as the war is over, we will demand additional budgetary funding of one billion shekels for education to cope with new challenges.”
