The education system is hemorrhaging teachers, while the last weeks of the school year were disrupted by a teacher strike over pay. Amidst this crisis in the field of education in Israel, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev is announcing the establishment of a new school of education.
The new school will combine three existing units: The Department of Education, the Unit for the Advancement of Educational Professionalism, and the Program of Science and Technology Education.
The school will offer combined programs of a teaching certificate with a B.A or an M.A degree.
Prof. Tehila Kogut, the newly appointed head of the School of Education said the program will enhance research collaborations and enable BGU to develop advanced degrees in education and teaching.
“The establishment of this school signals our commitment to improving teacher training at the university,” Kogut said.
Prof. Michael Fried, head of the program, added that the integration of teacher training with the School of Education will enable BGU to recruit faculty members with “practical and academic expertise” in teacher education.
“Thus, we can develop and implement an advanced training philosophy, attuned to the diversity of the population in the Negev, and based on cutting edge academic research,” he said.
There are currently six sets of faculties at the university: the new School of Education will comprise a seventh.
