Against the background of the approval of the state budget by the Finance Committee, and ahead of the vote on second and third readings in the Knesset plenum next week, it appears that the Ministry of Education budget for 2023-2024 is expected to include substantial cuts in flagship government programs, some of which are supposed to take care of the weaker sectors of society. Data from the two-year budget indicate that there may be a negative impact on several significant items in which the Ministry of Education will cut its budget relative to 2022 (as well as compared to what was actually allocated).
Among the notable cuts is that the ministry will reduce its budget in the section "Complementary activities for promotion." This means damaging the school of the summer vacation and funding a long school day for weak cities. In 2022, about NIS 6 billion was allocated to the clause, and in practice, the state spent NIS 6.7 billion in its favor. In the 2023 budget, the item will be budgeted at only NIS 5.3 billion, so this is an underbudget, and the same will be true in 2024, when it will be NIS 5.7 billion.
Missing budget for the next two years. Cuts in schools of the Great Freedom (archive), photo: Gideon Markowitz
Cutting back on flagship programs. The Finance Committee during the vote on the budget ahead of the second and third readings, photo: Dudi Vaknin
Special education continues to erode
Under this section is the subsection "Activities and Projects", which includes important programs such as reinforcement hours for matriculation, activities of the Department for the Education of Children and Youth at Risk, a combat program, road safety training, and more. If in 2022 the cost of the projects was NIS 4 billion, in the 2023 budget it will be cut to NIS 2.8 billion, and in the 2024 budget to NIS 3.2 billion. Another harm under the "complementary activities" clause would be the lack of budget for a long school day introduced in schools in the social and geographic periphery. In 2022, the system spent 2.527 billion on extending the school day, and in 2023 it will be budgeted at only 2.357 billion.
According to Dr. Michal Tabibian-Mizrahi, head of the Manor Center of the Century Initiative, who previously served as deputy director of strategy and planning at the Ministry of Education: "Money does not grow on trees. The Israeli government is increasing the education budgets of the ultra-Orthodox and religious autonomies at the expense of state programs and funds. Indeed, like a seesaw, if one side rises, the other side must decline, and in the education budget, the increase in private education budgets comes at the expense of important programs and projects such as narrowing gaps, supporting the weak, and informal education intended for all students in the state education system. The current situation in which Israel subsidizes more separatist tribal identities at the expense of narrowing gaps and social cohesion must change."
Cutting back on the social and geographic periphery. Damage to a long school day (archive), photo: Ami Shumen
How will he keep his promises? Minister of Education Yoav Kisch (archive), photo: Oren Ben Hakon
The special education system has more than 300,<> students. Budget data indicate that the special education budget will increase – but only at a natural increase of NIS <> billion a year and no more – making it difficult to correct the existing distortions in the system, which is considered one of the most complex and complex in Israel.
The addition – to the Torah nuclei and the flag dance
The pre-primary budget (municipal daycare centers and kindergartens) is in question: performance in 2022 was 9.8 billion, higher than the budget designated for 2023 – 9.7 billion. Insofar as this is the case, in the current situation, it is difficult to see how the many promises made by Education Minister Yoav Kisch and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding early childhood care centers will be fulfilled, including building more dormitories, supervising and raising the salaries of caregivers. The Education Ministry claims that the budget for the early childhood program will be allocated by the Ministry of Finance after the state budget is approved, but when the chief economist at the Ministry of Finance cuts state revenues, they did not choose where the money would come from.
"A full response to the needs of the system." Ministry of Education in Jerusalem, photo: Lior Mizrahi
At night, the coalition agreements were also revealed: NIS 30 million will be transferred to the Ministry of Education for various projects, including flag dancing, memorial activities for religious Zionist rabbis, events to raise the foundation of Torah, Jewish culture adapted to the religious lifestyle, Jewish theater, the Sigd holiday, and more. In 2024, about NIS 40 million will be transferred to Torah nuclei. Another NIS 120 million for strengthening Haredi education and exemption institutions, and NIS 170 million for calls for proposals in Haredi society. Approximately NIS 63 million will be transferred to support youth organizations.
The Education Ministry rejected the claims but did not provide explanations for the budget gaps: "The approved budget includes a full response to the needs of the education system in all areas, including wages in regular education and special education. The entire budget for the early childhood program will be allocated to the Ministry of Education by the Ministry of Finance after the budget is approved."
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