Education Minister Rafi Peretz said Monday that he expects all the schools in the country to be reopen by June 1, as government prepares to further lift the coronavirus restrictions.
On Sunday, over a million children returned to school after the cabinet voted to partially reopen the education system for children in the first through third grade, as well as for high schoolers preparing for their matriculation exams.
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Students boarding a school bus while wearing protective face masks
(Photo: Mirit Helman)
"The data we are receiving is very good, we see a significant decline in morbidity, even compared to global numbers," said Peretz. "This means we are on a path, which will begin with the reopening of all preschools and kindergartens next week, to the reopening of the entire education system by June 1."
Peretz added he hoped "the full reopening [of the education system] would happen by mid-May," but believes it wouldn't be possible as long as the coronavirus outbreak continues on the current trajectory.
The minister said that the current guidelines dictate that in preschools and kindergartens, kids must be divided into three different groups, each studying on a different day.
Peretz said the ministry is still mulling an overall operational plan for the school system, saying that four days of the week will be dedicated to teaching grades 1-3 and two days to grades 4-6.
Upon being questioned if these arrangements will harm the learning capabilities of the students, Peretz said the online classes taken by the children during the virus lockdown would make up for the lost hours.
The Yamina MK, who is unlikely to remain in his post once the unity government between Likud and Blue & White is formed, said he's sure he'll "have a position as a minister within it."
"Yamina has done a lot of good for the right-wing bloc, I am sure we [Yemina] will find ourselves inside the administration as ministers," Peretz said.