The Israeli cabinet has decided that Israel's education system will partially reopen from Sunday, May 3.
According to the plan presented to cabinet ministers today, kindergartens and elementary schools from first to third grade will reopen. Kindergartens will divide children into two groups and each group will attend kindergarten three days a week out of the six day week.
First to third grade classes in elementary schools will be divided into two groups and will attend school from Sunday to Thursday.
In addition some of the pre-army preparation programs run by the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Defense will partially recommence on Sunday.
Minister of Health Yaakov Litzman opposed the plan saying schools should reopen more slowly. Minister for Public Security Gilad Erdan supported the plan and proposed that students be hired and paid to help run kindergartens for the entire week and urged municipalities to find additional buildings so that classes could be run full time in smaller groups.
Minister of Education Rafi Peretz and his ministry have been pressing hard for a reopening of schools and kindergartens.
If all goes to plan, all other school grades will return two weeks later on May 17. Schools and kindergartens in Israel have been closed since March 12. as part of the nationwide lockdown to combat the spread of Covid-19.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on April 27, 2020
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