New Data: COVID-19’s Impact on Education

The pandemic has made teaching a challenge. Instructors note that it has widened the gap between students who can learn well remotely and those who struggle with it. Israel's high school teachers currently face a new challenge: preparing the students for the 2021 midyear exams.

Israeli students must pass a series of exams by the end of high school to get accepted to college. With some of the exams coming up in two weeks, the Education Ministry released a survey taken by Israeli high school teachers. The teachers taught one of seven subjects: math, English, primary language, history, civics, literature, and Bible studies. They gauged the likelihood of their students scoring 70% or above on the upcoming exams.

Half of the survey participants teaching math, English, and language skills are concerned that their students will fail the exams. About 45% of those who teach history, Bible, literature, and civics do not seem hopeful that their students will pass. Some of the material generally tested in these seven subjects has been removed after the pandemic hit; nevertheless, none of the teachers could cover the material needed for exams this year. Many math teachers report that they have only covered 60% of the material. Some exams are undergoing new changes, while discussions are underway for others. Many fear a significant knowledge gap for students at the end of this year.