Introduction: Education for Shared Society and Prevention of Racism

The State Comptroller and Ombudsman, the Hon. Judge Joseph Haim Shapira, submitted a Special Report “Education for a Shared Society and Prevention of Racism” on September 22th, 2016 to the President of Israel Reuven Rivlin. The document available here is the introduction. Click here for the report abstract and summary.

The Report is based work carried out from March through August 2015, during which “the Office of the State Comptroller audited the activities of the Ministry of Education in regard to promoting the subject of education for a shared society and prevention of racism”.  The audit was carried out in the Ministry of Education—in the Pedagogical Secretariat, in the Society and Youth Administration, in the Educators Administration and in the northern, Haifa and central districts. Supplementary examinations were conducted in the State–Religious Education Administration and in the Educational Psychology Service.

According to this Report: “The fight against racism, the striving for equality of all the State’s citizens, and the protection of human dignity for people whoever they may be has a central position in the values of the State of Israel…. Education has a pivotal role in shaping a democratic, free and tolerant society that enables each individual to live how he chooses while showing respect for those who are different and not part of his group.”