In 2008, Israel celebrated 60 years since its founding. Since Israel sees education at its main resource, it is most fitting at this milestone to look at the educational achievements in Israel during the past 60 years, the educational realities of the present and the educational challenges that will arise in the future. In order to examine these issues, the Mandel Education Conference entitled “60 Years of Education – Past, Present and Future” was held. The Conference took place on December 18, 2008 at Kfar Ha’Maccabiah in Ramat Gan. 

Conference guests included: Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Education Minister Professor Yuli Tamir, Director General of the Education Ministry Shlomit Amichai, educators, researchers and policymakers.

The following are excerpts from Prime Minister Olmert’s speech at the Conference’s opening session:
"There can be no excellence in education without excellence in the leadership of the education system.  A school cannot be good with a bad principal, and no class can excel if the teacher is bad.  Therefore, nurturing leadership in education is a critical step in upgrading the education system.  The Mandel Institute took the bull by the horns.  It did not join a long list of lovers of Israel who provided impressive amounts of money to build homes, cultivate gardens and acquire equipment.  The Mandel Institute is the clearest example of nurturing excellence in the level of leadership as the basis for improving education in the State of Israel."
 
"The education system in Israel will soar again if principals and teachers improve.  I was young and now I am old, and I never saw a failed school or weak students when their teachers were excellent and the school principal was outstanding."

"This is the focus of the Mandel Institute’s work.  Even now, the Institute’s contribution to the education system is impressive and encouraging.  And we are only at the beginning of the journey."

To read the entire speech click here

To visit the Mandel Education Conference website (Hebrew) click here