The National Security Council and the education and health ministries held talks on Thursday on whether to order the closure of the school system across the country to stymie the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Despite Education Minister Rafi Peretz saying earlier in the day that the country’s schools would remain open despite increasingly tight restrictions from health officials, reports said that schools would be ordered closed until at least after the Passover vacation next month.
An official announcement will be made on Thursday evening.
Also on Thursday, four more Israelis have tested positive for the pathogen, bringing the country's total sick count to 109. The Health Ministry said it will release further details on the cases.
On Wednesday, the Health Ministry banned gatherings of more than 100 people in enclosed spaces, prompting the head of Israel Teachers’ Union, Yaffa Ben-David, to demand the immediate closure of all schools.
Several school students in Israel have already been diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
"I call on the prime minister to display national responsibility for the public's health, including Israeli students, Israeli educators and their family members to stop the spread of the virus and prevent the next victims, " Ben-David wrote in a message sent to teaching staff.
"I ask of you [Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] to order to close all educational institutions across the country – kindergartens and school."
Education Ministry Director-General Shmuel Abuav sent a letter to ministry board members on Wednesday evening, in which he announced that schools will open as usual around the country despite the coronavirus outbreak.
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The head of Israel Teachers' Union Yaffa Ben-David in the Ynet studio
(Photo: Raz Gross)
"According to the prime minister and Health Ministry's orders, the education system will return tomorrow to a learning routine to prevent any significant damage to the fabric of civilian life," wrote Abuav.
"But at the same time, the following guidelines should be considered – educational institutions will open their gates, classes will take place as usual, recess and other outdoor activities in the schoolyard will take place as usual. However, it is prohibited to hold large-scale events in educational institutions, such as sports competitions with spectators, plays, conferences or shows."
Many worried parents are refusing to send their children to school and thousands have already signed an online petition created Wednesday evening to suspend the education system.
"Suspending school will reduce the number of infected and the risk that elderly people will get sick," read the blurb accompanying the petition.
Meanwhile, frustration is growing among educators, and some say they feel like the state has left them to their own devices.
"There is no justification to keep schools open," a teacher from central Israel tells Ynet.
"There is regular interaction both between and with the students in the teachers' lounge and the small classrooms. Additionally, the bathrooms are very crowded.
"I, for example, am going to meet and teach at least 200 students tomorrow. There are large gatherings of students during recess, definitely more than a hundred, and we're in Israel, the students here hug, shake hands and touch each other all the time."
The teacher also suggested canceling the so-called "bridge" of school time between the Jewish holiday of Purim that took place this week and Passover, which starts on April 8. The ministry has said this stretch of lessons would not be canceled.
"It's madness that the Health Ministry has abandoned us," she said. "Nothing would have happened if they merged the Purim and Passover vacations. More people will pay with their lives if the schools stay open."
Despite the Education Ministry's announcement that schools will take place as usual on Thursday, about 15% of students across the country skipped school, although parent organizations nationwide have yet to officially adopt such a course of action.
First published: 17:34, 03.12.20