Education Minister Yoav Galant announced Wednesday the "Going Forward - Studies during Corona Routine" program in elementary schools.
This is a temporary plan for a period of two weeks, subject to the decisions of the Cabinet. According to the plan, which was formulated by the Education Ministry in coordination with school principals and heads of local authorities, students in grades 1-4 will study at least four days in the school starting next week, while fifth and sixth graders will continue distance learning.
The outline was formulated in accordance with the decisions of the Corona Cabinet:
1. No additional budget will be allocated to the education system.
2. At the request of the Health Ministry, the studies will take place in classes of half size - 18 students per class.
3. The Education Minister will formulate an optimal format for operating the education system under these conditions for the next two weeks.
Following professional consultations held by Education Minister Galant with school principals and with the heads of the authorities, the Minister decided that administrative flexibility would be given to school principals in order to operate the education system in an optimal format - when either four or five school days are allowed depending on the decisions of the principals.
Education Minister Yoav Galant said: "Our original plan is to return elementary school students to five days of schooling. Given the budget constraints and health conditions set by the Ministry of Health - I have decided that first through fourth graders will come to schools for at least four days a week, and there will be institutions where they will receive more than that."
"I trust and believe in our excellent principals and teachers, who together with the heads of the authorities will operate the educational institutions in the best possible way. They are the heroes of the Corona's Second Wave, who have resolutely faced the challenges of education and learning, and have worked day and night for the students.
"The Education Ministry, together with the heads of the authorities and led by the school principals, will take care of the education of the students, while maintaining and taking care of their health and safety."
