'Education Minister is giving the message that Tanach isn't important'

MK Ophir Sofer (Religious Zionism) has sharply criticized the Education Minister's proposed reforms to the matriculation program in the Humanities, which is set to be implemented during the coming academic year.

"If Israeli students are to be tested only on mathematics, English, their mother tongue, and one science subject, the message that is given over is that subjects such as Tanach [the Jewish Bible] and literature are not important," he said.

"The Education Ministry would never consider making mathematics and English into subjects that are only learned in school and not externally tested.

"When Education Minister Yifat Shasha-Biton first published her proposed reforms, I asked her to make slight alterations and to include additional subjects in the matriculation tests, but unfortunately that did not happen," he added. "When we replace the government - hopefully soon - I will take steps to fix these reforms and to add ethical and Jewish content to the curriculum learned by Israeli students."