The 2025 State Budget: Challenges for Education in Israel’s Periphery

The Israeli government’s 2025 budget brings significant implications for education, particularly for Amal Educational Network, which operates schools primarily in Israel’s social and geographic periphery. An analysis of the budget reveals a growing disparity in allocations, favoring sectorial interests while neglecting critical needs in public education.

A key concern is the distribution of coalition funds, which have been earmarked disproportionately for ultra-Orthodox education at the expense of public schools. The budget for Haredi yeshivas and kollels (religious seminaries) increased significantly. While in 2024 it was 1.7 billion NIS, it has now risen to 2 billion NIS despite previous legal challenges and budgetary concerns: 1.269 billion NIS of coalition funds were specifically directed toward Haredi institutions.

While budgets for classroom construction and infrastructure were expected to be allocated equitably, significant sums have been diverted through special clauses that prioritize specific educational frameworks (25 million NIS were allocated for classroom construction in ultra-Orthodox institutions under a coalition agreement, instead of distributing funds equitably through the Ministry of Education’s general development fund This creates a widening gap), affecting students in Israel’s periphery who already face educational and economic challenges.

Additionally, budgetary support for vocational and technological education, critical for social mobility, remains inadequate. The limited funds available for schools in underserved areas restrict the ability to invest in updated curricula, professional development for teachers, and experiential learning programs.

The Israeli Democracy Institute’s report on the 2025 budget reveals a serious violation of financial regulations, with 1.29 billion NIS from coalition agreements being integrated into the base budget—contrary to the guidelines of the Attorney General and government decisions. Coalition funds are meant to be one-time allocations, managed through the Finance Committee with professional assessments, but in practice, these sums were embedded in the base budget, shielding them from public and parliamentary scrutiny. The Finance Committee is described as failing in its oversight role, prioritizing sectorial interests over balanced economic discussions. The families of fallen soldiers and of the remaining hostages in Gaza protested outside the Knesset crying for equality, claiming that the government allocated funds to remain in power and not according to national priorities.

These funding allocations indicate a systematic prioritization of sectorial interests over public education, with significant implications for schools in Israel’s periphery, including those within the Amal Educational Network. For Amal, these budgetary constraints highlight the urgent need for philanthropic support. Without increased external funding, schools in the network may struggle to provide the quality education needed to empower students from disadvantaged backgrounds and prepare them for the workforce and civic participation.

Amal is committed to bridging these gaps, but with the 2025 budget’s allocation trends, our mission becomes increasingly dependent on partnerships with donors who share our vision of a stronger, more equitable education system in Israel.