Dr. Hala Espanioly, Chairman of NIF grantee Follow-Up Committee for Arab Education said that the discrimination against Ethiopian Israelis highlights the need for equality and pluralism in Israel's education system. Last year’s matriculation results further demonstrated this need with 60 percent of Jewish Israelis graduating 12th grade compared to only 32 percent in the Arab sector.

Dr. Hala Espanioly: Discrimination over resources and budgets must end.

Dr. Espanioly said, "Change requires an end to the continuing discrimination in budgets and resources, which has existed since the founding of the State."

She added, "I am concerned about the new government and proposals by Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar to encourage army and national service through schools and make it compulsory to sing the anthem. We call on the Minister of Education not to intensify alienation, and relate with understanding and empathy to the unique national identity of Arab citizens."

Meanwhile, NIF grantees Association for Civil Rights in Israel and Ir Amim have published a report on the dire lack of educational infrastructure in East Jerusalem. According to the report, there are no municipal school facilities for nearly half of the more than 80,000 Arab schoolchildren in East Jerusalem. Despite the high cost, 30,000 students are enrolled in private schools while 5,500 students will not be attending any school whatsoever. East Jerusalem needs 1,500 new classrooms by 2011, according to the report.