The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) today (Tuesday) published its “Education at a Glance” report for 2025, which reviews the education systems of 38 countries, including Israel.
The data shows that most teachers in the Israeli education system retire within five years of starting work, especially in elementary and high schools.
It also shows that classrooms in Israel are particularly overcrowded. In elementary education, an average of 27.4 students are enrolled in each class, compared to 20.6 students on average in OECD countries – a gap of about 33%. In middle schools, the gap is about 31%. Israel ranks second among member countries, after Chile.
The number of school days in Israel is also among the highest in the organization, with 214 school days per year in primary education, compared to an average of 186 days in other countries. Israel is one of the few countries where schooling is held six days a week.
The report notes that school hours in Israel are particularly high – 941 hours per year in primary education (compared to 804 in OECD countries), and 1,002 hours in middle school (compared to 902). In upper school, Israel also ranks high, after Italy, Colombia and Costa Rica.
Despite the burden, national spending on education as a percentage of GDP in Israel is among the highest in the world. In 2022, the country invested 7.2% of its GDP in all stages of education – from pre-primary education to higher education. This is a significantly higher percentage than the average in the organization.
As for education levels, Israel stands out favorably: 50.5% of the adult population has tertiary education – compared to 41.5% on the OECD average. The rate of those with low education (up to middle school) is relatively low – only 12.3%.
Minister of Education, Yoav Kish, said in response, “The OECD presents a complex but familiar picture: Israel is among the top countries in investment in education and the number of school days, but is still dealing with classroom overcrowding and teacher attrition. To this end, we are currently leading a joint committee with the Ministry of Finance and the Prime Minister’s Office, which is re-examining the standardization model and steps to reduce class sizes. The goal is clear – that the significant investment in education will not ‘play out’ on its bureaucratic way to the classroom, but will reach directly in its full strength and scope to every student and teaching staff.”