More than 2.5 million students began the new school year in schools and kindergartens this morning (Monday).
Of them, 180,600 students are entering first grade and 149,000 students are entering 12th grade in their last year in the education system.
Classes will open in 5,807 schools and 21,600 kindergartens across the country. 248,000 education workers will return to their jobs, including 219,000 teachers, 5,800 principals and 24,000 kindergarten teachers.
The school year in the northern communities will open today as usual after the security situation calmed down in the area. According to Ministry of Education data, about 90% of evacuated students and 97% of the educational staff have returned to the education system in the evacuated communities in the north.
Before the start of the school year, concerns arose regarding an insufficient budget to secure educational institutions, which put the opening of the year at risk. After an exchange of accusations between the Finance Ministry and the Ministry of National Security on the issue, a broad cut of 0.6% was approved to fund security for educational institutions for the coming school year.
The approved budget ensures that the school year will open as usual in a protected and safe environment. All ministers voted for the cut, except Ministers Orit Strock and Ofir Sofer, and Minister Smotrich, who was absent from the meeting.