Confusion and Clarification: The Ministry of Education clarified yesterday that a rapid antigen test will not be a condition for students entering schools and kindergartens on September 1.
Recall that the ministry intends to distribute to parents 1.9 million rapid antigen tests, which will be collected from schools early next week so that they can do the test at home and not send them sick - in order to create a green island in kindergartens and schools.
Among other things, the confusion was created following the announcement that came out after the Corona cabinet meeting, which stated that on the opening day of the school year, students up to the age of 12 will be required to present a parental permit at the school entrance to perform a negative antigen test.
As stated, a clarification notice was issued yesterday, according to which students will enter schools and kindergartens next Wednesday, September 1, in accordance with the Compulsory Education Law, which requires students to enter educational settings.
Meanwhile, this issue is not under the authority of the directors of educational institutions or the Ministry of Education because it is enshrined in legislation.
The parents added that "parents are significant partners in the national effort to return Israeli students to schools and kindergartens, so we reiterate their call to cooperate in taking all necessary steps towards returning to school, including the rapid tests during Mondays and Tuesdays next week."
Ministry of Education for Teachers: "Get vaccinated and tested - or stay away"
Attempts to find a solution for 37,000 teaching staff who have not yet been vaccinated continue.
Following the approval in the cabinet, the Ministry of Education yesterday distributed an outline on how the school year should be conducted.
The new news in relation to the previous year is the green mark for the educational staffs.
In a file distributed by the Ministry of Education, he referred to about 37,000 education staff members who were not vaccinated and did not perform tests: "According to the cabinet decision, they will not be able to enter the kindergarten or school without a green mark or a negative test result from the last 48 hours."
On the question of who will fund the corona tests of education staff who are not interested in getting vaccinated, the Ministry of Education noted that no decision has yet been made on the issue and that the issue of funding the tests is under discussion with the relevant government ministries.
Less than a week before the start of the school year, there are things that are not yet closed, it is not yet known to whom the principals of the schools and the principals of the kindergartens will have to present the green mark or the negative test results.
In addition, according to the Ministry of Education it is not possible to prevent unvaccinated students from entering the school, provided they have not been in contact with verified Corona during the last 14 days.
The problem is that a student is considered vaccinated about a week from the date of the second vaccination, in accordance with the procedures of the Ministry of Health.
This means that tens of thousands of students will not start the school year in classrooms but by distance learning.
As for the antigen tests for the first day, this is the parents' declaration form, in which they declare that they have performed a test for their children and that the test results indicate that they are not verified to Corona.
In this case they will have to present the form to the person authorized to do so on behalf of the school - but the corona trustees who are supposed to do so have not yet been recruited.
Recall, as in the previous school year, that all students in the education system from first grade and up will have to wear masks in a classroom or in a closed structure.
