Teachers Meet Teachers
Teachers Meet TeachersYoni Kempinski

Teachers who have stuck with what many call the world's hardest profession are to be recognized for their efforts by the Economy Ministry.

On Wednesday, the Ministry announced it was going through with a plan to provide “experience bonuses” to teachers who have been working for 25 years.

The bonus plan was proposed by MK Yoel Rezbezov (Yesh Atid), chairman of the Knesset Aliyah Committee. Eligible for the bonuses will be teachers who have been in the profession for a quarter century and more, with at least ten of those years spent working in Israeli schools.

The bonuses are being distributed as a token of appreciation to teachers who have spent their careers working hard to teach the next generations, as well as an incentive to teachers to remain in the profession, the Ministry said.

The bonus amounts to NIS 4,000 annually, and will be distributed each year to eligible teachers.

The “experience bonus” will replace another payment that veteran teachers had received, called the “Jubilee bonus,” which was a one-time payment. Immigrant teachers were not eligible for that bonus.

While it may be an extra expense for a cash-strapped government, “this bonus is very important and justified, including for immigrant teachers, who have been working as educators,” said Rezbezov.

“I am happy that finally we have been able to reduce the barriers to helping immigrant teachers and reward teachers who have been playing such an important role in Israel's educational system.”