Beginning on Sunday, exams will no longer take place on college and university campuses.
The Committee of University Heads slammed Council of Higher Education Chairman Minister Ze'ev Elkin (Likud), for not allowing an exception to be made to allow on-campus exams.
The Committee had requested that 25% of exams be held on campus, but the Health Ministry refused the request.
"The prevention of a discussion on the proposal will harm, among others, thousands of students who do not have appropriate technological means, who are from low socioeconomic backgrounds, and students with disabilities who cannot take the exams online at home or off-campus," the Committees wrote.
"The Minister of Higher Education has the responsibility to take care of these students as well. Unfortunately, Minister Elkin is busy with extraneous provocations for political gains, instead of working to find solutions together with us, for the good of the students. We would like to note that we are not in an election campaign, and the Minister for Higher Education must act out of true responsibility for the future of the students and the system he was placed in charge of just a month ago.
"The universities are law-abiding bodies and therefore they will adhere fully to the orders to protect the nation's health, which go into effect on Sunday," they concluded.
The Committee noted that from Sunday, exams will no longer be held on campus. As such, the following protocols will be followed:
- Exams which were scheduled ahead of time as online, or which do not require arrival at the campus, will be held as scheduled.
- Exams which were scheduled to be held on campus will be delayed or will be held online, or an alternative assessment will be held, according to the decision of each institution. Exams held online will be given a mark of "pass" or a number grade, according to the institutions' decisions.
- If the Council for Higher Education approves the proposal to allow certain exams to be held on campus, and subject to the approval of the Health Ministry Director-General, the institutions will hold exams on campus in accordance with Health Ministry regulations.
- Institution heads will continue to protect the autonomy and academic freedom of the universities. The managements will continue to grant priority to the students' welfare, and to work in order to ensure the students' health and the academic quality of the students' training.