Disparities in the Education System and the Hebrew Language Barrier

On February 24, 2020, the Aaron Institute held a roundtable discussion on disparities in the education system and the Hebrew language barrier, which showcased a study co-authored by the Aaron Institute and the Department of the Chief Economist in the Israeli Ministry of Finance. The presentation by Dr. Marian Tehawkho, Senior Researcher at the Aaron Institute, asserted that the income disparity between Jewish and Arab households stems mainly from lower levels of education in the Arab society, and that one of the primary obstacles to attaining higher education and effective integration in the labor market is poor grasp of the Hebrew language. In comparison to low-level Hebrew speakers, high-level Hebrew speakers are more likely to enter the labor market and remain employed, as well as earn higher wages. However, the status of Hebrew language in the Israeli-Arab society is far from eminent: over 50% of students report that they have absolutely no exposure to Hebrew outside the education system, and the rates of students taking additional matriculation units in Hebrew are decreasing over the years. The discussion touched on other barriers to Hebrew language studies, such as lack of dedicated training for teachers of Hebrew as a second or foreign language, outdated and irrelevant pedagogic content, and the reliance of academic institutions on the Hebrew proficiency test for higher education candidates (known as YAEL test) rather than matriculation grades, which undermines students' motivation for high attainment in Hebrew matriculation exams. The researchers assert that the Israeli-Arab education system should strive to eliminate the Hebrew language barrier from the labor market and academia. The matriculation exam should reflect the level of knowledge required in the labor market and in academia, meaning students taking the 3 units (unexpanded) course will achieve the level necessary for an everyday conversation, while the 5-unit expanded course will aim to meet academic requirements. The goal for the year 2030 is to have 90% of graduates from the Israeli-Arab education system passing matriculation exams in Hebrew, with at least half of those passing expanded exams. To achieve this goal, the researchers propose changing the structure of the Hebrew language matriculation exams (including oral exams), boosting the importance of the Hebrew language matriculation exam and making it a compulsory requirement for academic studies, recruiting teachers who have native-level fluency in Hebrew and providing them with dedicated training for Hebrew tuition in the Arab education system, and bringing together students from the Arabic-speaking and Hebrew-speaking sectors on a weekly basis at least. Former Education Minister, Ms. Yuli Tamir, pointed out the existence of a widespread literacy problem, encompassing the Arabic and English languages as well, along with issues of identity associated with learning Hebrew in the Arab society, and noted a need for additional hours of Hebrew teaching and a revision of teaching methods. Chairperson of the National Committee of the Heads of Arab Localities, Mudar Younes, Esq., highlighted the long-term effects of poor grasp of Hebrew which are evident in labor market motivation at an older age, and noted the importance of incorporating Hebrew into everyday life. Dr. Dalia Fadila, founding director of the Q School for English and Human Development, traced the connection between the political conflict and the poor status of Hebrew among Israeli Arabs, and stressed the importance of nurturing thinking skills which form the basis for learning a language and active citizenship. Other commentators included Prof. Michel Strawczynski, Director of the Research Department at the Bank of Israel; Mr. Imad Telhami, Founder and Chairperson of Babcom Centers LTD; Ms. Agadir (Aina) Jamil Abu Zarka, Wadi Ara Campus Director at the Open University of Israel; Ms. Gal Yaakobi, a senior director at the Ministry of Labor; and Mr. Mohana Fares, Head of the National Programs Department at the Ministry of Education. Participants agreed on the importance of fluency in Hebrew for integration in the Israeli labor market, and the need to act for the improvement of Hebrew language fluency, starting as early as primary school and even kindergarten.

To view all materials (in Hebrew), click here