A Month Before September 1: How Many Teachers and Kindergarten Teachers Are Missing in the Education System?
As of the end of July 2026, the education system is short 3,000 teachers and 200 kindergarten teachers, 100 of whom are in special education. The shortage is concentrated in the Tel Aviv and central district and in scientific subjects. Last year the shortage stood at 5,000, but the improvement is due to a change in measurement methods; in practice, teachers without proper training fill roles outside their field. Some schools are expected to open the year with an unusual arrangement of one homeroom teacher for two classes. Israel ranks third from the bottom in the percentage of principals reporting harm to teaching quality.
As of the end of July 2026, the Israeli education system is short 3,000 teachers and 200 kindergarten teachers, 100 of whom are in special education. The shortage is concentrated mainly in the Tel Aviv and central district, and focuses on scientific subjects. This was reported this evening (Wednesday, July 29) on Kan News on Reshet Bet. In comparison, at the end of July last year the number of shortages stood at 5,000 – a figure that might indicate successful work by the Ministry of Education in narrowing the gaps. However, the reality on the ground is different: beyond the change in measurement methods, the actual shortage is being filled in practice by teachers without appropriate training. For example, a physical education teacher finds themselves teaching English, and a history teacher teaches computer classes without having a background in the field. As a result, some schools are expected to open the upcoming school year with an unusual arrangement where one homeroom teacher manages two classes simultaneously. Although teacher shortages are a global phenomenon, Israel's situation is particularly severe: it ranks third from the bottom after the Netherlands and Latvia – in the percentage of principals reporting harm to teaching quality due to the shortage of personnel.