Israel's Education Ministry will pay for the secular subjects being taught in independent and haredi schools.
Until now, only government-funded schools were eligible for these funds. The funds will be transferred to the schools beginning in September.
Meanwhile, MK Yisrael Eichler (United Torah Judaism) has assured the haredi public that the funds will not impact the style of learning or the curriculum taught.
In a lengthy explanation published in Hamevaser, Eichler said, "No longer will the haredi schools be starved so that they will become government-haredi as a condition for receiving funds for secular studies; now, there is complete preservation of the independence of haredi education. The agreement of the Education Ministry to provide funds for secular studies without touching the purity of education at all is an important and historic achievement for haredi education and its independence."
"With G-d's help, we have succeeded in achieving equal and appropriate funding for all children of haredi schools, without connection to one network or another, as the Sages of Israel demanded. The budgetary difficulties...in recent years led to dangerous initiatives which may have harmed the independence of haredi education, such as government-haredi schools and the like.
"With G-d's help, the children of Israel will be able to continue learning in the traditions of our fathers and rabbis, without diverting at all from the holy and pure path, and without their parents and teachers facing the challenges of poverty and lack."