Israeli Education Minister Yifat Shasha-Biton (New Hope) fired Education Ministry Director-General Yigal Slovik Sunday evening.
Sources close to Minister Shasha-Biton say the decision to remove Slovik from his position came after the two clashed over ministry policies, including responses to the coronavirus pandemic.
Officials in the Education Ministry claimed the dispute revolved primarily around the possibility of holding COVID vaccination drives in public schools – a step Slovik backed, but Minister Shasha-Biton strongly opposed.
According to a report by Channel 13, Slovik told confidants that the “differences of opinion regarding vaccination campaigns in the schools and how to handle the coronavirus pandemic in the education system put us on bad terms.”
The report also claimed that Shasha-Biton drafted a letter removing Slovik from his position, effective at the end of the month, while Slovik himself penned a resignation letter last week, but has yet to submit it.
The Ministry released a statement Sunday evening, saying: “The Education Ministry adheres to all of the decisions of the government and coronavirus cabinet. We wish Yigal Slovik success going forward.”