New Education Minister Naftali Bennett’s decision to place his “Revolution in Math Education” high on the list of his ministry’s priorities signals more than just a professional agenda. It is also an indicator of his political ambitions.
As someone focused on targets and measurable objectives, Bennett decided to draw the public’s attention to two major educational reforms right before the start of the school year Sept. 1, using a well-covered news conference as his platform. The first is his “Sardine Reform” (referring to protests by parents against crowded classes where children were squeezed ''like sardines in a can''), reducing class size for first-graders from 40 students to 34. He did this in response to nationwide protests by parents about overcrowding in schools. The second was his revolution in the way math is taught. It has won extensive media support since it was announced Aug. 30.
