This coming Tuesday, the Finance Committee is expected to approve transfers of NIS 155 million to the Ministry of Education budget for Haredi education, as part of the implementation of coalition agreements. Part of the funding will come from the general reserve of the state budget, and part from what has been defined as "development education."
In a document obtained by Israel Hayom detailing the budgetary sources, it is noted that the transfer of budgets comes from, among other things, the budget for building classrooms. Among other things, the committee is expected to approve a budget of NIS 40 million for activities and teaching hours in independent education (a separate stream in Haredi education). The Finance Ministry's letter to the committee stated, "The budget is intended to finance study hours at the Independent Education Center, in accordance with the budgeting method used in primary education. In addition, the program budgets network activities at the Independent Education Center. Participation in financing the salaries of auxiliary workers and transportation of students and teachers. The independent education center is supervised by the ultra-Orthodox district."
Approval of the transfer of NIS 150 million to religious services in the Finance Committee this week (Archive) // Knesset Channel
For the benefit of 'recognized and unofficial' institutions, NIS 75 million will be transferred. It is written here that "the budget is intended for teachers' salary payments and participation in financing the salaries of auxiliary workers in institutions of recognized and unofficial education – in the Haredi and non-Haredi sectors. The purpose of the change: budgeting a total of NIS 75,000 thousand for the implementation of political agreements with budgetary significance, as detailed below."
Almost NIS 32 million will be transferred to the budget of the "exempt" institutions – Talmud Torah that have been recognized by the education system and have special conditions that exempt them from fulfilling the provisions of the Compulsory Education Law. "The purpose of the change: budgeting a total of NIS 31,820,<> for the implementation of political agreements of budgetary significance as detailed below."
The transfer of budgets comes from, among other things, the budget for building classrooms, a classroom in the school (archive), photo: Moshe Shai
According to MK Naama Lazimi, "The government continues to transfer huge sums of money to the exemption institutions at the expense of the general public. This is now a huge transfer of NIS 155 million from a budget earmarked for the construction of classrooms for the benefit of Torah institutions, exemption institutions and the fountain of Torah education. These are unacceptable transfers that need to be stopped immediately. It is inconceivable that every week such vital civil services are cut in favor of cynical and harmful political agreements. Israel's children will continue to be crammed into classrooms like sardines, and this government will continue to engage in petty politics."
It should be recalled that only yesterday the Finance Committee approved a budget transfer in the amount of about NIS 150 million for religious services, including: the establishment of religious institutions, the development of infrastructure and safety work at the Tomb of the Rashbi in Meron, the renovation of mikvehs in the city of Beit Shemesh, the revelry of Baba Sali in Netivot, burial plans for ancestral graves, the operation of the rabbinical courts and the salaries of employees of the Chief Rabbinate.
The sum did not enter the budget base approved only in May of this year, but does appear in coalition agreements with the ultra-Orthodox parties and Religious Zionism. Last week, an across-the-board cut of NIS 736 million was approved, and most of the sum was transferred to support Haredi educational institutions – also in accordance with coalition agreements.
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