Five day school week: Teachers' Union reaches agreement with gov't after weeks of negotiations

Israel's Finance Ministry, Education Ministry, and the Secondary School Teachers' Union have reached an agreement, concluding two months of intensive negotiations. This deal paves the way for the continued transition to a five-day school week, reducing the current six-day schedule by one day.

“

As long as teachers are denied the stability, recognition, and respect they deserve, we will keep losing the essential individuals who prop up the backbone of society.

Key provisions of the agreement include canceling a pay deduction decree that was imposed on June 8 following the outbreak of war with Iran. Physics teachers will also receive a 4% bonus for preparing students for the highest-level matriculation exam, a benefit previously exclusive to chemistry teachers. Additionally, teachers working with classes that include students with special needs will receive annual grants based on the number of students with disabilities in their classes.

“

The Parents' Leadership Association views the Teachers' Union's letter with great concern. This is an improper, discriminatory, and dangerous demand that cannot be accepted in an education system committed to the values of inclusion and acceptance of others.

The agreement also addresses early retirement, increasing the annual number of eligible retirees from 320 to 350. This change is attributed to a high demand from teachers seeking early retirement due to burnout.

“

Instead of fighting for additional staffing positions, the Teachers' Union has chosen to direct the spotlight at the children themselves.

However, the agreement comes amid controversy. In June, the National Parents' Leadership Association urged the Education Ministry to reject an ultimatum from the Teachers' Union that threatened to limit the integration of students with disabilities into classrooms. The parents' group described the demand as dangerous discrimination, arguing that the union should focus on securing additional staffing positions rather than targeting students. Oren Ozen, chairman of the Parents' Leadership Association, stated that the state should equip teachers with integration tools instead of removing children from classrooms, emphasizing that the education system must not send a message of exclusion.

“

The state's role is to provide teachers with the tools needed for successful integration, not to remove children from the classroom. The education system cannot afford to send a message of exclusion.