The Tel Aviv municipality is proposing to introduce a revolutionary education plan in which students would begin school at age 4 and be able to graduate high school by age 16.
Outlining the plan at a news conference Wednesday, Shimshon Shoshani, director of the municipality’s Education Department and former director-general of the national Education Ministry, stressed that the proposed reforms are only in the planning stage.
Approval by both the Education Ministry and the teachers will be required before the new plan can be put into operation next year.
Mayor Shlomo Lahat said that under the proposed plan, some schools would be granted total autonomy, and institutions would be individually responsible for running themselves and managing their own financial affairs, within the city budget.
Teachers would be paid overtime, with a 13th month salary guaranteed. Parents would be able to chose which school their children attend, without restrictions as to area of residence.
Academic and technical schools would be combined, and pupils would be encouraged to study additional subjects, such as art, ballet and special interests, at outside institutions. The proposed system would enable suitable students to start university studies before registering for their compulsory army service, which begins at age 18. ..
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