500 Jewish schoolchildren in Binyamin and Samaria may go into the new school year with no classrooms in which to learn, Education Committee Chairman MK Zevulun Orlev (Jewish Home) warned Monday. Orlev criticized the Justice Ministry for failing to authorize 23 transportable structures to ease overcrowding in schools.
After some political back-and-forth, the government approved the use of 10 caravans in Samaria schools, despite the freeze on Jewish construction there, but has yet to approve the use of additional structures.
"The Justice Ministry is obligated to abide by the Mandatory Education Law,” which mandates the state to provide education and young children to attend classes, Orlev said. The ministry “cannot hide behind legal jargon. It has to suggest a solution."
Without the transportable structures, which were approved even by Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who enforces the freeze very strictly, schools in Eli, Ofra, Itamar and Elon Moreh will be badly overcrowded, and will not have room for all of their pupils, Orlev continued. “It is unacceptable that children be left with no roof over their heads when the school year begins."
Regarding Justice Ministry officials, Orlev asked, “What do they imagine is going to happen? Do they think the children will stay home, or learn outside on the grass?”
Orlev has called an emergency meeting of the Knesset Education Committee for Sunday. Senior officials in the Education Ministry and the Justice Ministry will be summoned to the session.