The Seker
Chapter 4
Israeli Historical Fragments
Seker-Related Terms
Academic High School and Vocational High School
Academic High School – In that era, an academic high school typically comprised four grades: 9th through 12th. Students attending academic high schools were considered more prestigious; they passed matriculation exams (Bagrut), and their chances of advancing in life were better. It was primarily attended by "well-to-do" children from good families, with a notable majority of those of Western origin, the Ashkenazim. They were also active in youth movements, served in combat units in the military, some went on to university, and generally fared relatively well in life.
Vocational High School – These were dedicated educational frameworks for students who completed 8th grade in elementary school. Vocational high schools offered boys and girls an opportunity to learn a profession across a variety of fields and tracks. Boys studied electrical work, mechanics, metalwork, turning, aviation, electronics, construction, and agriculture. Girls studied sewing, secretarial work, bookkeeping, home economics, and fashion.
Vocational high schools were considered less prestigious, and in most vocational high schools, students did not complete standard matriculation certificates. Students of "the vocational track" entered these educational settings with the stigma of having "failed the Seker" and being unworthy of academic studies. They came from lower socio-economic backgrounds, with a prominent majority of immigrants from Asian and North African countries, the Sephardim.
Despite their secondary importance, some vocational high schools were considered prestigious. For example, Ort Singalovsky in Tel Aviv. Its curriculum was rigorous, offering multiple tracks, and also included the option to take the Bagrut exam. Its graduates found their way to success, and many excelled in their professions. In other vocational training settings, there was less perseverance; students did not complete all years of study, and many dropped out of the system. Others graduated with a vocational certificate and found their way in life as "blue-collar workers" who earned their living honorably, but through hard work and much sweat.
Vocational School for Boys
Advertisement (in the Hebrew press) for Girls' School Enrollment
Advertisement (in the Hebrew press) for Academic High School Enrollment, with a section emphasizing: "Seker Exam results approval must be presented upon registration."
Graduated Tuition
Before the establishment of the State, few attended high school. Most were children from affluent families who could afford to pay full tuition. The Education Department of the "National Council" (Vaad Leumi) had a standing special committee whose role was to grant scholarships (stipends) to students from low-income families from all communities and movements.
The establishment of the state brought about the realization of the vision of gathering the exiles and granting equal rights to all. High school education rose to the top of the agenda, and the government allocated significant budgets for its development and to provide more opportunities for all students to attend. To expand the circle of high school students, funds were established that awarded "stipends" (scholarships), and "graduated tuition" was set – government subsidy and participation in tuition fees according to the family's monthly income. "Graduated tuition" was at the core of the Seker exam's preparation. Those who succeeded in it were admitted to academic high school and paid less. The graduated tuition format for high school students began in 1957, and other criteria were added, such as the family's income level and the number of individuals in the household.
