Israeli kids go back to school
Israel's new school year begins Thursday with nearly two million children and teenagers heading back to the classroom, an increase of two perecent in comparison to last year
Nearly two million children are set to begin the new school year Thursday, marking a two percent increase in comparison to the previous year.
The start of the new school year was made possible Wednesday after an agreement was signed between the Education Ministry and teachers' organizations.
Schools in Arab neighborhoods are to open Sunday due to a Muslim holiday.
However, this school year will open with a shortage of 3,000 classrooms, with more than half lacking in the Arab, Bedouin and Druze communities.
Simha Shneor, the deputy Director-General and Manager of Development Administration in the Education Ministry, said the reason for the shortage is a natural growth in the Bedouin community that stands at 5.8 percent a year, as well as an increase in the Jewish ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods.
About 130,000 children will begin their studies in the framework of the Dovrat educational reform, which includes students from 36 municipalities.
Among those beginning the new school year in Jerusalem are children whose families were recently evacuated from the Gush Katif settlement of Neve Dekalim, as part of Israel's pullout from the Gaza Strip.
Most of these children are currently housed with their families in hotels across the capital. Following a request by their parents, they are set to begin school on Sunday.
In addition, the Jerusalem municipality has opened kindergartens for all 90 settler children temporarily residing in the city.
Moran Zelikovich, Shani Mizrachi, Shmulik Haddad, Tova Dadon and Yaron Druckman contributed to the report
