Shmuel Abuav
Shmuel AbuavYonatan Sindel, Flash 90

Director-General of the Education Ministry, Shmuel Abuav, discussed the various options under consideration for reopening Israel’s schools after the Passover break.

Interviewed by Golan Yochpaz and Anat Davidov of 103 FM Radio on Wednesday, he said that there is as yet no official decision regarding when to resume classes, and that there are a number of possibilities, including reopening the schools directly after the Passover break. Alternatively, classes might resume 10 days later, or several weeks later, at the beginning of summer.

In any event, Abuav made it clear that schools would only open gradually, adding that “I estimate that in the future, there will be regular classes taking place alongside distance learning.”

The Director-General also mentioned various programs that were being run by the Education Ministry, designed to help disadvantaged families and other vulnerable members of the population.

“From next Sunday, we will be distributing food to children whose families are struggling to provide for them. We have also made arrangements with 90 different companies that supply ready-made meals, as well as our usual supplier who provides meals for 400,000 schoolchildren on a regular basis. These companies will be sending food packages to 160,000 elderly people, right to their doors, either every day or every couple of days. And, also from next Sunday, 40,000 children and their families will be receiving food parcels.”

He noted that “the Education Ministry has received around 40,000 requests to provide support for children with complex family backgrounds. These are children suffering from anxiety or loneliness, who are impacted by the struggles of their parents. We’re using a network of psychologists to give these children online support,” he said.