A new contract for excellent teaching

Yet when we examine the outcomes – student achievements, teachers’ sense of burnout, and the difficulty in recruiting high-quality teaching staff – it becomes evident that something in the structure of this investment is not functioning properly. The money exists, but it is largely directed according to an old formula based on seniority and formal education, and does not reflect the skills required for the 21st century.

The model provided stability for decades, but reality has changed. The modern labor market, as emphasized in the Future of Jobs 2025 report by the World Economic Forum, rewards skills such as critical thinking, creativity, innovation, mastery of technologies, and continuous learning.

Creating a new model

If this is the profile of a sought-after worker in our century – so too should be the profile of a good teacher, and compensation should recognize this. The question is not whether to raise teachers’ salaries – that is as clear as day – but rather what the raise is based on, and how it is designed to create an education system that is attractive, innovative, competitive, and of high quality.

In Israel, as in many other places around the world, there is an acute shortage of teachers in STEM fields – mathematics, sciences, technology, and computer science. There is no doubt that these subjects are critical to Israel’s future economy and its competitive edge. If we continue to offer outstanding academics from these fields salaries that are measured only by years of seniority, while the private sector tempts them with far more rewarding opportunities, we will lose those who could transform the Israeli classroom into a hub of innovation.

At the same time, it is equally important to remember that the humanities are not marginal, but a necessary condition for cultivating thoughtful individuals, leaders, and citizens. They nurture creativity, cultural depth, critical thinking, and social responsibility – qualities without which no democratic society or innovative economy can exist.

A new contract must combine both worlds: providing differential rewards that recognize shortages and unique skills, while ensuring that teachers of the humanities also receive recognition and incentives for their broader contribution to shaping a generation of culturally and morally aware citizens.

Learning from international systems

An international perspective offers practical directions. In the United States, measured bonuses for outstanding teachers in underprivileged schools reduced dropout rates and improved achievement. There is also a model where a teacher’s salary is determined partly by professional development, working in challenging areas, and improving student performance.

Singapore developed a holistic system in which every teacher has a predefined career path, with generous bonuses for excellence and continuous training. In Europe, additional pay is given for managerial responsibilities, working in remote areas, or for added specializations. What all these cases share is the recognition that the key to educational quality is not the number of years in the system, but rather quality, skills, and actual contribution.

Israel, too, has a real opportunity for change. In recent years, thousands of academics have turned to teaching – engineers, researchers, cultural figures, physicians, and others – yet many leave after a short time because the system treats them as if they are starting from zero. If we can design a compensation model that recognizes the skills they bring, we will not only close shortages but turn career shifts into an engine of excellence.

A new contract for excellent teaching must combine fairness and wisdom: a competitive base salary for all, alongside a genuine shift from automatic seniority-based pay to compensation based on skills and expertise, fields of specialization, and proven contribution. This is both an economic and a perceptual change: an existing investment that is redirected more intelligently.

Ultimately, this is not just a contract with teachers, but a new social and economic contract – one that strengthens the status of the teaching profession, translates resources into real quality in the classroom, and ensures that Israel’s students will have a generation of teachers who prepare them for the intellectual, social, and economic challenges of the 21st century.

Rony Ramot