Parents hoped their children would return to school soon, but apparently they would have to wait • National Economic Council head: "I don't think this will happen until next month"

After the parents of students developed the hope that immediately after Passover, the educational system would begin a process of return to routine, the head of the National Economic Council, Prof. Avi Simhon, cooled the enthusiasm.

Corona Questions and Answers // Photo: Ministry of Health

"My assessment is that the education system will not open in the coming week, and when it opens - it will take some time," said Professor Simhon, who added that "it will not open as we knew it, but in all kinds of special arrangements that are now being thought of and the bodies of the Ministry of Health and Education and other bodies. ".

"Anyone who thinks we will return to schools and kindergartens this Sunday is too optimistic. It will not happen, it will happen at a significantly later stage."

Prof. Simhon added: "I do not know if this will happen in two weeks or a month. My assessment is that we will start returning to schools only in early May and it will only be in a special format and not regular schooling that we were used to."

He concluded that "the problem is that schools are a place used to infect and I do not know one developed country except Taiwan where the education system is open."

At the same time, the decision to abolish the great freedom due to the ongoing corona closure has not yet been finalized, and there is debate on the issue at the top of the decision-makers. Treasury and health ministries and the NSC are demanding that the freedom be completely abolished. On the other hand, Education Minister Rafi Peretz and his ministry insist that in July students will learn, but in August there will be freedom.

The Ministry of Education believes that such a decision could cross the barrier of teachers 'organizations, including the Teachers' Union, which in the past opposed giving back learning days at the expense of great freedom. As mentioned, under the Treasury's agreement with the Teachers' Union, teachers are supposed to return nine days of study in the great freedom. "We are in direct and direct contact with the government," the Teachers 'Federation noted, "no outline has been presented regarding the opening of educational institutions or the great freedom. When any issue is raised we will express our position. The Teachers' Union will not compromise the safety and health of teaching staff."

According to the original vacation schedule, the return to school was due this Friday. According to the Ministry of Finance's outline, the intention is to bring the special education and preschool and kindergarten students back into activity two weeks after the Passover holiday. However, this will not be done all at once. According to the same program, only three weeks and even more (3.5-15.5) will be a return to a reduced third-grade activity. As published in Israel Today, the Ministry of Education is preparing several scenarios for returning students. Among other things, it is learning shifts or intermittent learning: morning or noon, or alternate learning days (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, or alternatively Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). Alongside that, what is likely to return this summer is "The School of Great Freedom."

School of Great Freedom

In the meantime, as part of the agreement with the teachers, they are supposed to complete nine days of study after which they will go on vacation. If no other agreement is reached, the ministry is expected to run the "School of Great Freedom" as it did in previous years. These frameworks, while not learning, will allow parents to return to normal