The last day of Chanukah vacation from school in Israel officially is on Monday, but schools within 20 kilometers of Gaza will remain closed indefinitely. Minister of Education Yuli Tamir made the decision to keep the schools closed in conjunction with Minister of Defense Ehud Barak on Sunday.
The decision to close schools will affect all educational institutions from nurseries through high schools, including institutions for special education. Schools in Ashkelon, Sderot and Netivot and in many smaller towns and kibbutzim are affected by the decision.
The Ministry of Education is considering the possibility that the school closings will extend for a few weeks, depending on the extent of Operation Cast Lead in Gaza. There also is a possibility that schools in cities up to 40 kilometers from Gaza may be closed, depending on the range of Hamas rocket fire in the coming days.
Instead of learning in classrooms, students will be asked to learn on the Internet through school websites where teachers will post assignments that students will be asked to complete and repost to the teacher. The websites will also contain links to Internet information sources and have class forums to promote class discussion.
In addition, 300 specially trained female soldiers will rotate through different bomb shelters and conduct educational activities. They will lead students in social activities and arts and crafts projects and also will distribute educational computer discs.
The Ministry of Education has asked teachers to contact students and their families at home and check on the emotional status of children. Children who display signs of emotional trauma will be referred to professional psychiatric support staff.
If the current situation continues in the south for a long period of time, the Ministry of Education will consider sending children to schools in the center of the country. In the meantime, the Ministry has opened a hotline to find out about school updates during Operation Cast Lead. The Ministry of Education can be reached directly at 1-800-25-00-25 or through its southern district offices at 1-800-20-44-02.