Even though Israel has increased funding for education in recent years, it still lags behind other developed countries when it comes to investing in education, according to a new report by the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development.
The report, which covered the year 2015, found that Israel invested $7,971 for each elementary school student, compared to the OECD average of $8,539 per elementary school student.
The gap was bigger in post-elementary education: While OECD nations invested an average of $9,868 per student in middle and high school, Israel invested $7,987.
The gap was largest for early childhood education, with Israel investing less in children under the age of 3 than any other OECD member state. Some 110,000 young children are currently enrolled in government-supervised and subsidized nursery schools and day care centers in Israel. The report found that Israel spent $2,700 per child up to age 3, compared to the OECD average of $12,400.
Israeli students also spend more hours in school than most other students. First- to sixth-graders in Israel have an annual average of 5,755 school hours, compared to 4,600 for the same age group in other developed countries.
"The report proves that Israel has made education a top national priority, with public funding 4.6 times greater than private funding. At the same time, the report points out areas that still need improvement," the Education Ministry said in response to the findings.
