In the upcoming school year, Israeli middle schoolers will start learning English through artificial intelligence, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Education Minister Yoav Kisch said on June 11.

Netanyahu and Kisch made the announcement during a visit to the Dekel Vilnai Middle School in the settlement of Ma’ale Adumim, just east of Jerusalem in the West Bank.

The school was one of 28 that took part in a nationwide pilot testing an AI-powered system as part of the Education Ministry’s national initiative for personalized learning through technology.

“This is one of the most significant and ambitious revolutions ever carried out in the education system,” Kisch said. “It will enable every student to learn according to their own capabilities, pace of progress, and personal needs.”

“This move places Israel at the forefront of the world’s leading nations in integrating AI into education, representing a national jump forward in preparing the next generation for a changing world,” he added.

The initiative is called Project 720, and according to the ministry, the name “reflects its unique philosophy: 720 Degrees — representing 360 degrees around the student and 360 degrees around the teaching staff.”

“We are shifting from a one-size-fits-all teaching model to a reality where every student has the opportunity to learn in a way that suits them, while maintaining high academic standards and developing the skills required for a changing world,” said Meirav Zarviv, deputy director general of the Innovation and Technology Administration, the ministry’s branch responsible for the program, according to a statement.

“Simultaneously, we provide teachers with advanced tools, data, and support, allowing them to focus on personal mentorship and pedagogical leadership,” she added.

However, many questions remain unanswered.

The announcement comes a month after it emerged that only 22 percent of Israeli ninth graders met the requirements of the English language curriculum in Israel in the exams conducted last year by the National Authority for Educational Measurement and Evaluation (RAMA).

The pilot for 28 schools was described by the ministry as “a success,” but no data have been released presenting the results. Contacted by The Times of Israel, the ministry said the pilot results are expected to be published by the end of July.

A spokesperson said via email that the pilot is being evaluated using a combination of pedagogical, emotional, and organizational indicators, including students’ levels of motivation and independence and teachers’ ability to provide personalized support.

In the upcoming school year, Project 720 will be implemented in 180 schools, expanding it to math and science.

At the same time, AI-assisted English instruction is set to reach all middle schools through a parallel program, English for Everyone. (The public school system includes the secular,........

© The Times of Israel