Behind PISA: Disrespecting school, satisfied with life
A PISA report reveals a concerning picture: Israel ranks second in the world in the feeling that school is a "waste of time" (37% of students), with high absenteeism and truancy rates, and low parental involvement. Conversely, Israeli students rank third in life satisfaction, despite three years of war.
The PISA report published last week revealed not only a drop in Israeli students' achievements — a decline of 38 points in reading, 25 in math, and 23 in science — but also a concerning picture of attitudes and behaviors. Israel ranks second in the world (after Poland) in the feeling that school is a "waste of time," with 37% of students holding this view, compared to 24% on average in the OECD. The gap is particularly pronounced among Hebrew speakers (39%) compared to Arabic speakers (28%). Absenteeism rates are high: 37% missed at least one school day in the two weeks before the test, 45% skipped a class at least once, and 63% arrived late to school. Parental involvement is low — only 63% of parents ask their children about their school day at least once a week, compared to 71% in the OECD, and only 39% discuss future education (compared to 52%). However, the surprising statistic is that 30% of Israeli students report complete life satisfaction, placing Israel third among 33 OECD countries, after Costa Rica and Mexico. The article notes that students who experienced physical bullying or the spread of harmful information online achieved significantly lower scores.