"Education is not a footnote": the new front storming the parties

Heads of local authorities, school principals, researchers, parents, and students have formed a coalition to save public education. The initiative demands equitable funding, full core curriculum studies, investment in teaching staff, and worthy candidates for the position of Education Minister. The coalition will operate on the public, professional, and political levels to place education at the center of public and media discourse, and will require every party to present a clear worldview and commit to a series of practical measures.

Heads of local authorities, school principals, researchers, parents, and students have established a new initiative called "The Coalition to Save Public Education." The initiative comes against the backdrop of an ongoing crisis in the public education system, reflected in declining student achievement, a growing shortage of educators and teachers, widening gaps between the center and periphery and between educational streams, rising violence among children and youth, erosion of the status of educators, and damage to public trust in the system. Coalition members believe that for years education has been pushed to the margins of national priorities, despite its direct impact on the future of Israeli society, the economy, social cohesion, equal opportunity, and Israel's resilience. During the election period and after, the coalition will operate on the public, professional, and political levels to place education at the heart of public and media discourse. The coalition will demand that every party present a clear worldview and commit to practical measures: presenting worthy candidates for the education portfolio, establishing a national council for education, establishing a council for state-secular education, ensuring budgetary equality between educational streams, and investing in teaching and management staff. Dr. Michal Tabibian-Mizrahi, CEO and founder of the Manor Center, said that the education crisis is not a decree of fate but the result of years in which education was pushed to the bottom of the priority list, and that the next government will be required to rebuild the infrastructure. She added that they will not settle for slogans and will demand a practical plan and a worthy candidate for the position of Education Minister.