Education Minister Yoav Kisch on Thursday visited the "Haviv" school in Rishon Lezion, as in-person studies resumed across most of Israel following the announcement of a two-week ceasefire with Iran.
In a statement to the media, the minister announced that he has instructed the advancement of a government decision to extend the "summer school" in-school day camp program during the upcoming summer vacation.
As part of the move, the program will be extended by approximately three additional weeks and significantly expanded to include all elementary school students through 6th grade, instead of the current program which includes students through the end of third grade.
In addition, a new dedicated program for middle schools, to be dubbed "Summer Preparatory Program," will be launched for the first time. It will provide educational support and focus on closing gaps that accumulated during the war period, operating in a flexible format tailored to the unique needs of schools and local authorities.
The initiative is intended to ensure educational, emotional, and social continuity for Israeli students throughout the summer months, in light of Operation "Roaring Lion" and its impact on students, parents, and educational staff.
The expected budget for the program is approximately 750 million shekels.
Kisch explained, "In light of the gaps that accumulated during the war, I have instructed the Ministry to extend summer activities by three weeks, expand the framework to all elementary students through 6th grade, and launch the ‘Summer Preparatory Program’ for middle schools (grades 7-9), which will help close gaps and provide a stable and supportive framework for students."