Minister of Finance Yuval Steinitz said yesterday that universities will receive higher funding per each Arab or Haredi student that begin studies there. Steinitz spoke at a Labor party conference.
The Minister of Finance said that as part of the reform in higher education which he signed with Minister of Education Gideon Sa'ar, the Arab and Haredi populations will be promoted in university acceptances.
Steinitz also told his audience that he had formulated a plan with the private sector to set up a NIS 200 million fund to develop high tech in the Arab sector. The government committed to give about half that sum. The plan, developed with Minister of Minorities Avishay Braverman, is intended to advance the economy in Arab villages. As part of that, high tech industry will be set up in those villages.
Steinitz said, "At my first meeting with the head of the OECD, I said at my own initiative that we have two populations in Israel whose economic standing is low: Arab and Haredi. We intend to deal with Arab sector. Israel's economy is all of ours, and I am Minister of Finance for the entire State of Israel.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on September 15, 2010
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