An expensive Council for Higher Education program to increase the number of ultra-Orthodox Jews attending college in Israel is failing to boost student numbers, a new study shows.

The CHE invested a lot of money and effort trying to get the ultra-Orthodox into higher education, including by creating special programs for them. However, fewer people than expected have enrolled, many drop out, much money has been wasted, many graduates have trouble getting jobs, and the strict separation between men and women – which was supposed to be limited to the classroom – has spread to other parts of campus.

Nevertheless, the CHE plans to invest even more money in these programs as part of its new five-year plan.