Former prime minister Naftali Bennett, who leads the B’Yachad Party, said on Monday that a government he leads would declare a national state of emergency in the country's education system and take action to address a shortage of more than 30,000 teachers.
Bennett is one of the leading figures in the opposition bloc seeking to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in elections scheduled for October 27.
He made the remarks at TheMarker’s education conference, stating that the current government that "abandoned security also abandoned Israel’s children."
"If I were prime minister, I would declare a national state of emergency in the education system and address the shortage of more than 30,000 teachers," he said.
He pledged that in the country's next government his party will "establish one state education system for all of Israel’s children."
"All Israeli children will study a common core of Hebrew, English, mathematics, civics, Bible studies, and Zionism."
"Anyone who does not study the common Israeli core curriculum will not receive a single shekel from the state. If it’s not Zionist, it won’t be on my dime."
"There will be one education system for one people," he added.
Bennett's push for shared national foundation through new education system
Bennett has previously outlined education plans that he said aim to create a shared national foundation, rather than continuing with the current system.
Under his past proposal, all students would be required to spend 60% of their studies on a core curriculum that includes Hebrew, English, mathematics, civics, Torah studies, and Zionist heritage.
Individual communities and schools would determine the remaining 40% of studies.
Bennett has said that a government led by him would cut state funding to haredi (ultra-Orthodox) educational institutions that do not teach core curriculum studies and halt funding to haredim who evade service.
The B'Yachad Party leader has also said that one of his first priorities in the next government would be establishing a state commission of inquiry into the failures surrounding the October 7 Hamas massacre.
In April, Bennett formed a political alliance with opposition leader Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid Party.