Education Minister Yoav Galant on Wednesday called for all schools across Israel to reopen on Sunday, regardless of local coronavirus infection levels.
He was joined by Haim Bibas, director of the Federation of Local Authorities in Israel. Currently, schools have reopened in areas with low coronavirus virus infection levels or where a high proportion of the local population has been vaccinated against COVID-19.
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Teachers and students wear a face mask in class at a primary school in northern Israel
(Photo: nahum segal)
The Ministry of Health, which has not yet commented on the call, has been asked to consider shortening quarantine for students exposed to a certified carrier from 10 days to five.
Galant and Bibas called on schools to work on a different perspective, where institutions would close according to their own disease levels and not at the local community levels.
“The national vaccination campaign launched by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has allowed us to be the first in the world to eradicate the pandemic and return to normalcy,” Galant said.
“With the current downturn in matters, we believe we must allow all students of all ages and cities to return to school this Sunday. The education of the children of Israel is at the top of national priorities, so today we want all students to return to schools and nurseries. ”
Earlier Wednesday, Tel Aviv made an unprecedented decision to ban all school and kindergarten teachers from accessing educational facilities.
From Sunday all teachers and administrative staff at district schools and nurseries must present the Green Pass indicating that they have been fully vaccinated or have had a negative coronavirus test taken. within the previous 72 hours before they can enter the facility.
Tel Aviv Municipality said each case of an employee who refuses to be tested or vaccinated would be on its own merits.
The city said it would use “all available equipment” to protect the health of students and staff.