Early Childhood Education Policy and Children Rights: Examining the Israeli Reform

In 2022 Israel initiated a reformed Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) policy. Daycare centers for ages 0-3 were perceived mainly as serving working mothers, and admission preference was based on low socioeconomic status. This resulted in unequal opportunities for young children and contributed to the country's highest gap between the weakest and strongest students in terms of educational achievement among OECD countries. The recent transfer of responsibility for public daycare centers from the Ministry of Labor and Welfare to the Ministry of Education marks a significant transition that demands a renewed focus on education, care, and promotion for young children. The paper recommends the development of a comprehensive and affordable daycare system that caters to the needs of young families, significant investments in infrastructure, staff training, and financial assistance to families who cannot afford the cost of these services. Policymakers should ensure that there are enough daycare centers available to meet the demand and that admission criteria should be based on need rather than preferences for specific populations. Moreover, a cultural ethos that recognizes and appreciates the importance of preschool education and childcare should be instilled to address the issue of inadequate ECCE in Israel.