Amona high schooler receives personal exam
Education Minister Naftali Bennett instructed his ministry to give a former Amona resident a special exam date due to her missing school to protest.
A high school girl who is one of the Amona evacuees received a special, personal date for her Bagrut (Israel's high school matriculation examination) from Education Minister Naftali Bennett.
Many teachers were surprised by the leniency shown to the girl, as many students face personal difficulties that hinder them from studying for the exam and yet do not receive preferential treatment. Having a personal examination date both permits more time for the student to study and requires that an entirely new exam be prepared for her to take.
The 11th grader was active in the resistance against the Amona evacuation and was absent from many days of school for that reason.
On February 1, the day of the Amona evacuation, she was recorded pleading with the police who came to remove her from her home, crying and saying to them, "How can Jews with a heart do this? And tell me, for what—for a promotion? It's not worth it."
On February 9, the Bagrut literature exam was held, but the girl claimed that she could not prepare well for it due to her circumstances.
Together with her parents, she contacted the Ministry of Education asking to be allowed to take the test at a special date.
She was answered with suggestions to take the exam in the summer or next year, but she didn't give up; she got the education minister's phone number and called him to ask for a personal exam date.
According to her mother, the minister responded that he understands and sympathizes with her situation and that he would help her get a new date for the exam. "I think that it's the least the minister could do. Our children lost many school days so it’s a very difficult situation," said the girl's mother.
In the end, the girl took the exam on February 28, which was when the evacuation of the nine illegal houses in Ofra was nearing its competion. So, once she finished the exam made especially for her, the girl returned from Jerusalem to Ofra and joined the protests against the Ofra evacuation.
The Ministry of Education responded, "The Bagrut exam was held parallel to the Amona evacuation, and for that reason the ministry agreed to postpone the student's exam date, since she was an Amona resident."
(Translated & edited by Lior Mor)
