Bennett sets goal to improve students' spoken English
Edu. Min. Bennett announces plan to improve spoken English of Israeli students; regarding teachers' withheld salaries, he adds, 'We won't experience the problems we did last year, but it wouldn't be honest to say there will be zero problems.'
In an interview with Ynet on Thursday, Education Minister Naftali Bennett made it clear that he would try to improve Israel's students' English level and particularly to strengthen their spoken English.
"In the coming days we will announce our move in the matter of English, with our main goal being to strengthen the spoken language," said Bennett. "Perhaps a little less Present Perfect Progressive, and more spoken English and (improving—ed) the students' practical abilities.
"The main goal is for our children to not be ashamed to speak English abroad. Every child in the State of Israel must know English at the highest level, but not every child must know mathematics at the highest level. We will do this in coordination with the teachers."
Bennett additionally stated that his tenure as education minister has been full of achievements: an increase in the students' level of Math education, lowering costs for afternoon child care, and improving the conditions and values promoted within the education system.
When it comes to the longstanding issue of teachers receiving low paying and sometimes deducted salaries, Bennett commented that "it's a very important task to take care of the teachers and make sure that there is no delay in paying wages. We have taken a series of actions to significantly reduce the scope (of this problem).
"Naturally, when there are over 200 thousand teachers, there are always marginal cases of overtsights, but not in the amounts discussed last year. The payments in the education system is the most complicated in the State of Israel, but we will do everything possible so that there will be no withholding of wages. Each teacher will receive their full salary, you have my word."
You spent two years as minister of education, can't you solve this problem?
"I say the opposite, we're handling it, and in my opinion we will not experience the problems we did last year, so that will take care of any problems in a matter of days. The whole system is built to that end, but it wouldn't be honest to say there will be zero problems."
