The table does lie
Shai Piron, president of the Penima movement and former Minister of Education, comments on a study about local authorities' investment in education and criticizes the headline "The strong get stronger." He notes that Nesher, Or Yehuda, and Nof HaGalil, which are not among the wealthiest, are at the top of the investment table. Piron argues that authorities should not be prevented from investing beyond a basic basket, and that the state must ensure quality education for all through responsible decentralization.
Shai Piron, president of the Penima movement and former Minister of Education, addresses a study published earlier this week on local authorities' investment in education, under the headline "The strong get stronger." Piron argues that the headline is misleading, noting that Nesher, which belongs to the 7th decile on the socio-economic scale, ranks first in the table, along with Or Yehuda and Nof HaGalil (5th decile) at the top. He opposes the approach that prevents authorities from investing additional resources in education, comparing it to countries like North Korea. Piron proposes a "from system to education" outline that includes a personal, equal, and differential basket per student, ensuring quality education for all regardless of where they live, while allowing authorities freedom to invest beyond the basic basket. He emphasizes that success in education depends not only on money but also on committed teams, personal mentoring, and parental involvement.