Meeting with Jewish Student Leaders Foundation Jerusalem, January, 2013

1. Ministry of Education Meeting with Jewish Student Leaders FoundationJerusalem, January, 2013

2. Education System Statistics 2012-2013: 2.8% growth from 2011-12 Total number of students including kindergartens: 2,005,000

3. The Minister of Education, Mr. Gideon Sa'ar, has led a multi-year program, which has included the following principle objectives: Improving learning attainments Combating violence and improving school environment Deepening education for values Maximizing teaching time Decreasing learning gaps Strengthening teacher standing and improving the quality of teaching Strengthening the standing of principals Focusing on core subjects Adapting curricula to changing realities Strengthening vocational education Adapting the education system to the 21st century Integrating students with special needs (added 2012-2013) Strategic Program

4. New Horizon Reform (“Ofek Hadash”) – elementary and junior high Courage to Change Reform (“Oz L’Tmura”) – senior high Significant increase in teachers’ salaries Restructuring the work week (36 or 40 hours) Small classroom lessons for teaching in small groups Building physical infrastructures for teachers Career advancement and training Performance Based Bonuses (Courage to Change) Major Reforms

5. As a result of the Trachtenberg Committee’s findings, the following measures are being taken from 2012-2013, in order to ease the financial burden on parents: Free education for ages 3-4 Subsidizing after school programs for ages 3-9 Subsidizing School Excursions Text book lending program Increasing support for youth movements The Trachtenberg Committee Easing the Financial Burden on Parents

6. From the 2012-2013 school year, the Government has expanded free education for ages 3 and 4 During this 2012-2013 school year, some 269,000 or 85% of children aged 3 and 4, will receive free education Within 3 years, all 3 and 4 year old children will receive free and compulsory education For this purpose, the Government is increasing the Education Ministry’s base budget by NIS 1.8 billion ($450 million) Parents save NIS 8,000 ($2,000) per child Free Education for Ages 3-4

7. The Government is subsidizing learning frameworks for 3-9 year olds in the afternoon hours until 4pm The initiative will strengthen education, narrow learning gaps, and ease costs for parents The Government will increase the Education Ministry’s base budget for this purpose by NIS 2.35 billion ($620 million) The program is being implemented differentially, with full funding for the lowest socio economic areas and partial funding in the stronger socio economic areas After School Programs for Ages 3-9

8. For the first time, the Education Ministry is subsidizing school excursions, to the extent of NIS 270 million Differential Subsidies (40%-80%) – assistance to the middle and lower socio-economic brackets Emphasis on value related excursions Subsidizing School Excursions

9. Will significantly ease the burden on parents, by saving hundreds of shekels in acquiring text books Will increase equality by ensuring all children receive the full range of text books Will improve the Ministry’s ability to enforce the use of approved text books Text Book Lending Program

10. Financial Assistance to Students The Education Ministry sees great importance in instilling students with an awareness of the Holocaust and its impact Since 2012, the Ministry together with the Union for Local Authorities, have significantly increased subsidies for Poland trips When fully implemented over the next two years, some NIS 50 million ($12 million) will be distributed annually to needy students Student Participation in Excursions to Poland 2010-2011 – some 23,000 students 2011-2012 – some 30,000 students 2012-2013 (est.) – some 35,000 students Educational Excursions to Poland

11. Deepening Education for Values Objectives: • Strengthening Jewish, Zionist and Israeli values • Strengthening democratic and social values • Increasing awareness and identification with Jerusalem • Encouraging recruitment to the IDF and to national civic service • Encouraging involvement in and strengthening youth movements • Increasing volunteerism in the education system

12. Deepening Education for Values Implementation: • Increasing educational excursions to Jerusalem in Grades 5, 7, and 11 - with the aim that every student visit Jerusalem • Substantial funding for value related school excursions, linked to socio-economic status (commencing 2012-2013 school year) • Creating a new subject in secular State schools, called “Israel’s Culture and Tradition” • Encouraging enrollment to the IDF and national civic service, focusing on schools with low enlistment figures • Increasing financial assistance to students traveling on the educational excursion to Poland • Extending the “Israel Journey” Program (Masa Israeli) to Year 11

13. Educational opportunities for gifted and talented students as a standard part of the formal public education system Israel is one of the few in the Western world that applies a nationwide policy of dealing with gifted and talented students Equal opportunity and access to programs for gifted and talented students Excellence in Education

14. Our Vision The ideal graduate of the Israeli education system is fully connected to their community and to society at large has learned to utilize his or her unique skills and capabilities for his/her personal achievement for the general betterment of society Excellence in Education