In the background of the threats of the strike in the schools: how much do the teachers really earn?

According to a report by the Ministry of Finance, in 2021 the salary of beginning teaching staff was an average of NIS 5,500 per month, while veteran teachers earned 3.4 times more than them.

In addition, there was a jump in the unemployment rate of young teachers - 21% last year.

The Teachers' Union: "a report full of wrong conclusions"

Uri Sela

31/07/2022

Sunday, July 31, 2022, 7:43 p.m. Updated: Monday, August 01, 2022, 6:16 a.m.

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The salary of teachers starting in 2021 was NIS 5,510 per month - this is according to the report of the salary commissioner at the Ministry of Finance this morning (Monday).

The low figure is mainly due to the part-time percentage of teachers at the beginning of their career, with the average for a full-time job being NIS 8,538.

The average for all teachers is NIS 12,423 per month and NIS 13,971 for a full-time position.

The finance report, which is published during the talks on the new salary agreement, points to large gaps between the beginning and veteran teachers, an issue that is at the center of negotiations with the Ministry of Education and the Teachers' Union.

As of last year, teachers towards the end of their career earn 3.4 times more than beginning teachers, and 2.3 times more when calculated for a full-time position.

On average, teaching staff are employed 89% of the time, with the scope of the position being higher the older and more educated the teaching staff is.

Intern teachers, in the first two years on the job, are employed on average 73% of the time.

An empty classroom (Photo: Flash 90, David Cohen)

The Treasury also refers to differences in compensation for additional positions, which vary according to the base salary.

Thus, a veteran teacher will receive up to 2.68 times more than a young teacher for the same position, for example second deputy principal, instructor, subject coordinator, class coordinator.

According to the Ministry of Finance, this mechanism harms the ability to promote outstanding teaching staff at the beginning of their career.

Along with the findings that appear in the reports every year, the Ministry of Finance together with the Central Bureau of Statistics produced new data on the termination of the teachers' work.

In contrast to the CBS data on leaving the profession, which are measured with a gap of three years, these data also include 2021, and therefore also indicate a departure for a sabbatical or a sabbatical year and not necessarily a final abandonment.

Be that as it may, the trend that emerges from them is clear: while the average job termination rate has remained stable over the past decade, in a 2-5 year seniority it jumped from 13% in 2018 to 21% in 2021.

13 thousand for the kindergarten teacher, 25 thousand for the principal

136,984 teaching staff are currently employed by the Ministry of Education at a cost of NIS 27.1 billion per year, making it the largest employer in the country.

Naturally, the teachers have captured most of the public attention in recent months, but the salaries of kindergarteners and administrators are also being discussed with the Treasury.

According to the new report, the average salary of kindergarteners in 2021 was NIS 13,954 for a full-time position, and in the lower decile it was NIS 8,264.

In contrast, managers earned NIS 25,300 on average.

Although the teaching profession is characterized by a female majority, the document shows that gender gaps also appear in it.

Men make up less than 15% of the teaching staff, but more than 30% of the principals.

This, while almost 90% of those involved in teaching who hold a bachelor's degree or higher are women.

According to the Treasury, this is a major factor in the gender wage gap, which is shrinking but still exists.

"This report is published on the eve of a new agreement with the teachers," mentioned the salary supervisor at the Ministry of Finance, Kobi Bar Natan.

"In recent years, and especially after the corona crisis, fewer young people are turning to the teaching profession. In order to introduce new spirit into the system despite the difficulties, changes must be made to teachers' salaries. The report shows how the salary structure of teachers is based on seniority and creates too great a gap between young and veteran teachers, among the highest In the world. The salary of young teachers in Israel is too low and harms the quality of education our children receive. This report presents an analysis showing an increase in the rate of departure of young teachers, compared to a stable trend among veterans. In light of this, teachers should be given a salary increase, while giving significant preference to young teachers and beginners. As Yes, the salary system must be improved and optimized by rewarding teachers for excellence and achievements. I am convinced that the steps we are promoting in the upcoming agreement will bring with them a new line."

The Histadrut of Teachers reported that "the Ministry of Finance continues with its manipulations and tries to fool the public. The report is full of wrong conclusions that are based on partial and inaccurate data. It was not for nothing that the Ministry of Finance chose not to refer in the 'special report' to Israel's position in relation to the OECD countries regarding the number of students in the classroom, employee wages The teaching and teaching hours are face-to-face. We suggest that the Treasury invest its energy in a real and honest promotion of the negotiations, instead of constantly engaging in spins and manipulative reports. We have been warning for months that the coming school year will not be able to open without an optimal salary agreement for all teaching staff in the civil service and despite this, Treasury officials continue to behave condescendingly and bully the hardworking women who keep the education system alive. We once again call on the Prime Minister, Yair Lapid, to show leadership and intervene personally in the crisis of the education system."

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