The Absorption Ministry and the Israel National Council for the Child announced Sunday that children of immigrants are poorer and stand a greater chance of dropping out of school than Israeli-born children.
Coming Home
16 Yemenite immigrants arrive in Israel / Yael Branovsky
Assisted by Jewish Agency, three families are to spend first adjustment period at absorption centers
"Much of the data in the annual report point to very serious problems among children of immigrants, who are often pushed to the margins of society," said Dr. Yitzhak Kadmon, who chairs the Council for the Child.
But Immigrant Absorption Minister Sofa Landver took a more moderate tone. "The annual report reflects reality as it is, including its strong and weak points, as well as the challenges that face us as an immigrant absorbing society," she said.
According to the report, children of immigrants make up 10% of Israel's child population. Of these, more than 60% were born in Israel to immigrant parents, and the rest were born in other countries. This school year, children of immigrants made up 14.3% of all Israeli students.
In all areas mentioned by the report – which includes data on socio-economic status, education, and crime rates – immigrant children fared poorly when compared to Israeli children. In 2007, a quarter of all children living below the poverty line were children of immigrants.
They are also more likely to drop out of school, according to the report, which states that 3.8% of immigrant children terminated their studies prematurely last year. The rate among Israeli children is 1.8%.
However the report says the crime rate among children of immigrants has declined. Whereas in 2004 20.9% of immigrant children were suspected of a crime, the rate was down to 14.3% in 2007. The rate of incarcerated children was down by 44% last year.
_a.jpg "Higher dropout rates Photo: Yaron Brenner")
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