Private schools

May 11, 2011 - 7:10 PM by Jessica

Here’s an interesting new statistic gathered by the folks at the Jerusalem Institute for Market Studies (JIMS): Most Israeli parents under 35 do not believe in public education and would strongly consider sending their children to private schools. The survey also found that 52% of young Israelis support a school voucher program, in which the state education budget would be distributed among parents who would then choose and fund their child’s school.

According to JIMS executive director Corinne Sauer, the survey found no correlation between a family’s income and the probability of considering private schools. “The lower a family’s income,” said Sauer, “the more likely it is to support school vouchers, which would allow parents greater freedom in choosing their children’s school.”

JIMS therefore concludes that interest in private schools is on the rise. But what I’m wondering is along the chicken-and-egg line of thinking, that is, are young parents interested in private schooling because there are more private schools now in Israel, or because they doubt the public education system? And given the push toward more pluralistic education in Israel, has that pushed the private school envelope, or is that another stream altogether?

There’s no question that the Israeli school system has been taken to task for the errors of its ways, but does that mean it is altogether lost, or will the private system have to gain more power in order to bring the system back to where it can and should be? Feel free to comment.

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