Shortage of classrooms, high workload: what school principals in Israel are complaining about

52.7% of middle school principals in Israel complain about a shortage of classrooms — the highest rate among 55 countries according to TALIS 2024. 73.6% of new principals are dissatisfied with hiring conditions. The number of teachers considering leaving the profession has also risen from 16% to 21%.

According to the TALIS 2024 study, 52.7% of middle school principals in Israel complain about a shortage of classrooms — the highest rate among 55 participating countries. 73.6% of new principals (with up to five years of experience) are dissatisfied with hiring conditions, also a record. 41% of principals note that infrastructure shortages (furniture, buildings, heating, lighting) hinder teaching — 7th out of 55. One in three complains about lack of internet access, one in four about a shortage of digital learning tools. 65.4% of principals are dissatisfied with their salary (OECD average 48.7%), although the average annual salary of a principal in Israel is $89,400 (10th out of 24 OECD countries). Separately, the number of teachers considering leaving the profession has risen from 16% to 21%. The share reporting burnout increased from 27% to 31%, and 49% of teachers consider the workload too high. The survey also revealed the system's unpreparedness for using AI: only 51% of teachers have tools to help students, 43% lack skills, while 76% completed AI professional development courses in the past year, indicating low training effectiveness.