Tech-Matriculation Database and Index

Following the study of Aaron Institute and the recommendation of the Perlmutter Committee, the government recently approved a new policy aiming to increase the rate of students earning a “tech- matriculation” certificate from 9% to 15% within five years. A tech-matriculation is the combination of five-units in mathematics, English, physics and/or computer science. This package has been found to significantly enhance the prospects of entering an R&D position in high-tech. The government decision includes specific goals for underrepresented populations, designated programs, and budgets. It also instructs the Ministry of Education to include a tech-matriculation index within its formal open database, so that progress can be tracked on an ongoing basis.

The Ministry’s database, which was launched in 2014, is updated and published on an annual basis since. It comprises a variety of data, including the number of students, their eligibility to matriculation, the teachers’ professional development, school budgets, and many more items. The data is presented at various levels, ranging from the school, the city, the district, and the whole country. When this database was initiated, we started relying on its data for the annual preparation of the “Excellence Map” database on five-unit mathematics that we developed. Since 2018, we have been collaborating with the “Cities of Excellence” network that we created at Tel Aviv University, to prepare this map and take responsibility for its design and publication.

Now, we approached Tel Aviv University, to update the map with the tech-matriculation data (adding to mathematics the aggregated information on physics, computer science and English). Tel Aviv University asked the Ministry of Education to join hands, however it seems it would take at least another year before the Ministry is prepared to move ahead. Tel Aviv University proposes to proceed with updating the map since municipal elections are scheduled for the end of October 2023 and the data is important for candidates who are preparing their education programs.

The plan is to prepare an updated database that incorporates the number, as well as rate and gender distribution, of students graduating with a tech-matriculation in each city in Israel between 2012 and 2022. The database will be launched in a special conference with 120 participants, which will be convened close to the elections to take advantage of the timing and generate public interest through the media.

* The text above shows the grant as approved by the Foundation’s Board of Directors / Grant 524