The number of Arab teachers that teach in Jewish schools in Israel has risen by 40% in the past year, Israel’s Education Ministry reports.
The greatest increase was seen in English, Maths and Science, where Arab teacher numbers rose by 76%.
The jump is the result of an Education Ministry program to integrate Arab teachers into Jewish schools, reducing the surplus of teachers in the Arab sector and promoting coexistence.
The Education Ministry says this encouraging data represents “an opportunity for shared life and coexistence among the two sectors.”
These numbers are encouraging and help to silence the unfounded claims that Israel is apartheid.
However, while this data is encouraging, there is still work to be done. A recent poll published by Walla news revealed that 21% of Jewish parents still oppose having an Arab teacher for their children. While that is the case, the vast majority (over 70%) of Jewish parents would be happy to have an Arab teach their children, regardless of their religion.
