A committee appointed by Education Minister Limor Livnat and chaired by Adv. Ella Gera, Former IWN Executive Director, examined gender stereotyping in Israeli textbooks. The committee presented the results to the Education Minister Limor Livnat at a press conference on March 24.

According to the report, 96.4% of Israeli textbooks do not meet suggested committee standards in at least one aspect of gender stereotyping and discrimination against females. The report also noted that textbooks designed for adolescent pupils, an age in which individual identity is being formed, contained the greatest amount of gender stereotypes.

Is There Gender Bias in Israeli Schools?

Some people think that gender differences in education are no longer an issue.

As early as 1983, the Dvoretzky Committee reported on gender differences in the study of mathematics in Israel: in the 12th grade, only 15% of the female students sat for matriculation examinations in high-level mathematics, while 30% of the male students did so. (See ORT Young Women Prepare for the 21st Century, 1997-2001; A Revolution in Expectations and Achievements, Y. Rom, p. 1).

Yet now, more Israeli girls than boys reach the 12th grade of high school. More girls than boys complete their matriculation exams. So, is there really still a problem??

Yes -- significant gender differences in educational achievements continue to exist.

The educational system in Israel ascribes to equality between the sexes. But in practice, the educational system is trapped in stereotypical gender concepts that strengthen the gaps in achievements between boys and girls, especially in science studies. (see Women in Israel: A Data And Information Compilation, 1999-2000, The Israel Women’s Network Resource and Policy Research Center, p. 94).

Gender bias in the schools hinders the ability of the school system to enable students to develop their personalities and talents to their fullest potential. The achievements of girls in science and math do not reflect their abilities and talents and negatively affect their advancement in these fields in the workplace.

Government Report Shows Significant Gender Differences in Education

In 2000, the Chief Scientist of the Ministry of Education issued a detailed research report about certain significant gender differences that continue to exist between high school boys and girls in their educational achievements in mathematics and sciences versus the humanities. (See Prof. Z. Mevarech, Chief Scientist, Ministry of Education, Gender Gaps in Educational Achievements, Sept. 10, 2000, Office of the Chief Scientist, Ministry of Education, Israel).

This new research shows that despite the fact that more girls than boys complete high school and receive matriculation certificates, significant gender differences in educational achievements continue to exist in certain selected subjects.

For example, in 1999, 60% of the high school girls and 52% of the high school boys took 3 units of mathematics matriculation exams -- but only 14% of the girls took the more advanced level of 5 units of mathematics matriculation exams, whereas 22% of the boys did so.

These differences occurred also in physics, computer science, electronics and computers.

In physics, twice as many boys as girls took 5 units of physics matriculation exams. Conversely, 5 times more girls than boys took 5 units of literature matriculation exams. (Gender Gaps, pp. 1-3).

An international study in 1995 compared differences between the achievements of boys and girls in 8th grade in 41 countries -- the gap between boys and girls' achievements in mathematics was the widest in Israel as compared to all of the other countries. Similar differences existed in the sciences. Yet in mother-tongue language skills, the results were reversed; Israeli girls significantly outperformed the boys.

The report by the Education Ministry's Chief Scientist discusses many studies that examine why such great gender differences continue to exist. For example, some studies examine how: (i) teachers and advisers encourage boys to select math, science and technology, and encourage girls to select the humanities, and (ii) personality and psychological differences between boys and girls result in their selecting certain subjects because of how they are taught, rather than because of the content.

The Chief Scientist of the Ministry of Education reports that there are programs that have been successful in other countries to reduce or even eliminate these gender gaps in specific educational fields. The report emphasizes that the Ministry of Education must undertake concrete measures to create an educational environment in which all pupils can develop to their full potentials. (Gender Gaps, pp. 3-5).

Recent Ministry of Education Initiatives

The Ministry of Education recognized that initiatives are required in order to advance gender equality. The Ministry of Education stated in a recent report that the educational system must address the gaps and inequities between girls and boys, the phenomenon of violence stemming from this inequality, and the explicit and implicit sexism in the educational system. (See Equality Between the Sexes: Gender, Education and the Relationship Between Them; Policies, Strategy and Implementation in the Educational System, Ministry of Education, 2002 (in Hebrew).

Minister of Education Limor Livnat, upon her appointment to the ministry, expressed her commitment to a policy of instilling equality between the sexes in the school system. Towards that end, she tripled the budget for gender equity programs. All schools are required to prepare plans to improve gender equity. (See T. Lazaroff, Sexes To Be Separated In Math and Science Classes, The Jerusalem Post, March 8, 2002.)

Appointment of Committee to Examine Books & Teaching Materials

Minister Livnat established a Committee to evaluate school textbooks and teaching materials with respect to the content and messages concerning equality between the sexes. Minister Livnat appointed IWN Executive Director Ella Gera to chair this Commitee.

Interim Report About Biased Textbooks

The Committee submitted an intermediate report to the Minister of Education in October 2001. The interim report states that numerous studies and reports since 1978 show that Israeli textbooks and schools promote gender stereotypes that hinder the goal of achieving gender equality in society. The interim report also states that the recommendations of a previous Ministry of Education report intended to address these problem were never implemented. (See Gender Stereotypes in Textbooks in the Education System in Israel, Intermediate Report of the Committee for the Examination of Gender Stereotypes in Textbooks, submitted to Minister of Education Limor Livnat, October 2001, p. 4 & annex, p. 10 (in Hebrew).

In its interim report, the Committee recommends:

• Using a logo to indicate textbooks approved for use on the basis that they do not contain gender stereotypes.
• Undertaking efforts to increase the awareness and sensitivity of everyone involved in the entire education system to both explicit and implicit gender stereotyping in educational materials.
• Requiring principals and teachers to ensure that all materials used in the classroom are approved.

Final Report on Gender Stereotypes in Textbooks

In March 2002, the Committee issued its findings that 96.4% of Israeli textbooks do not meet the suggested Committee standards in at least one aspect of gender stereotyping and discrimination against females. The report also noted that textbooks designed for adolescent pupils, an age in which individual identity is being formed, contained the greatest amount of gender stereotypes.