Israel Introduces Mandatory Financial Education, Expands AI Instruction in Schools

Israel's Ministry of Education opened the 2026/2027 school year with two major curriculum changes at once: the country's first-ever mandatory financial education program and a significant expansion of artificial intelligence instruction, now extending beyond STEM subjects to English classes and teacher training.

Finance Enters the Curriculum

Until now, Israeli students had no mandatory classes dedicated to money management. The Ministry of Education is introducing the subject for ninth-graders, with plans to extend it to tenth grade next school year. The program aims to give students practical tools for managing their own budgets, strengthen critical thinking around financial matters, and prepare them for entering the labor market.

Artificial Intelligence in the Classroom

At the same time, the scope of AI instruction is being expanded as part of the "Realistic Israel" reform, which aims to adapt teaching and assessment methods to the AI era. The program, called "720," will cover English instruction in all middle schools and will be extended to about 140 schools teaching science, technology, engineering and math subjects.

Students in grades 8 and 9 will take part in a twenty-hour program covering the use of AI tools, critical thinking, recognizing disinformation, and the ethical issues surrounding the technology. AI tools will also be incorporated into matriculation exams in more than ten scientific and technical fields.

New Track and Teacher Training

27 schools across the country are launching a dedicated track in artificial intelligence sciences, whose graduates will be able to receive a technology certificate diploma. For the program to actually work in classrooms, the ministry plans to train more than 12,000 teachers of English, science and technology in AI.

We are starting the year with full responsibility and a clear direction - Yoav Kisch, Israel's Minister of Education

The goal is to give every student the tools to grow, create and lead - Ina Zaltzman, deputy director general of the Ministry of Education

Context and Goals

The changes are part of a broader plan to improve the performance of Israeli students on international tests - the ministry says its goal is to return to the top ten in the TIMSS study by 2029. The school year is also beginning in the Tekuma region, which includes five local authorities affected by the events following October 7, 2023, where 364 million shekels have been allocated to educational projects, including 184 million shekels for the so-called Tekuma education basket.

Compared with other countries introducing AI into education, Israel's move stands out for the scale of simultaneously rolling out two new teaching areas, finance and AI, covering millions of students from day one rather than as a pilot at select schools.

For Poland, where the debate over AI's place in schools is only just gaining momentum, the Israeli model shows one possible direction: combining digital skills with practical financial knowledge within a single curriculum reform, rather than through separate, ad hoc initiatives.