The members of the forum made the decision on their own and contrary to the decision of the Corona Cabinet that the return of seventh- and tenth-grade students to the educational institutions will not take place before March 9, 2021.
The authorities included in the forum: Ashdod, Beer Sheva, Givatayim, Herzliya, Hadera, Holon, Haifa, Kfar Saba, Netanya, Petah Tikva, Rishon Lezion, Rehovot, Ramat Gan, Raanana, and Tel Aviv-Yafo.
Back to school after the third closure // Photo: Moshe Ben Simhon, Paz Bar, Newsenders
According to the forum’s announcement, starting this coming Wednesday, February 24, 7th-10th grade students will come to schools at least twice a week for four hours each day, or three times a week for three hours of study. In addition, it will be possible to teach in shifts and it will be possible to combine learning in the classroom and learning in outdoor spaces. The announcement also stated that it is not necessary to teach all the subjects while staying at the school and some of the subjects will continue to be taught from a distance.
The heads of the authorities stated that the manner of resuming schooling would be at the discretion of the principals of the educational institutions and in consultation with the municipalities, taking into account the extent of vaccination among teaching staff, the general immunization status in the neighborhoods from which students come, school size and number of students.
Givatayim Mayor Ran Konik: “It’s time to bring back seventh- to tenth-grade students, who have been at home for almost a year. There is no reason to wait for the second week of March, when morbidity in the city is steadily declining and most teachers have already been vaccinated. “At home, it has emotional, social and educational consequences. As time goes on, the educational gaps intensify and in the current situation, it is not fair to keep the schools closed.”
The Teachers’ Union stated: “There is one employer for teaching staff in Israel and that is the Ministry of Education, and only he is given the authority to decide on the opening or closing of educational institutions, of course in consultation with the Ministry of Health.”