Michal Cohen resigned from her post on Monday after nine years of service.
By LIDAR GRAVÉ-LAZIUpdated: FEBRUARY 21, 2017 03:13Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, then-Education Minister Shay Piron, and Education Ministry director-general Michal Cohen in 2014(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
Education Ministry director- general Michal Cohen offered her resignation to Education Minister Naftali Bennett on Monday.Cohen has been at the ministry for nine years and has served as director-general for the past four, after being appointed by Bennett’s predecessor, Shai Piron.The decision came as a surprise, and the reasons behind her departure are still unclear, though she is currently one of the candidates being considered for the position of head of the Civil Service Commission.Bennett thanked Cohen for her years of service and her many contributions to the education system.“Michal Cohen is an excellent and professional director- general of the first degree,” said in a statement released by the ministry. “She managed the system with determination and courage, led significant programs and put in place important educational infrastructure that will serve the system for many years.”“I am convinced that she will continue to contribute to the State of Israel in significant roles in the future,” Bennett added.No replacement for Cohen has been announced as of yet.In turn, Cohen thanked the education minister for his belief in her and for his support in their joint collaborations to improve the education system.Cohen was been behind some of the major reforms in the education ministry in recent years, including the reform for meaningful learning, providing more autonomy for schools and minimizing socioeconomic gaps among pupils through the allocation of a differential budget. She was also at the forefront of negotiations with teachers over their working conditions.
