Israel’s education system will gradually return to activity on Sunday as the country slowly emerges from the Coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown and restrictions.
The kindergartens and grades 1-3 will return to school and will learn in small groups and on alternating days.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chaired on Monday a large meeting on the various alternatives for gradually returning the educational system to routine.
The reopening of educational institutions and kindergartens will depend on the Coronavirus morbidity data ahead of Sunday. An assessment will be held on Friday and final approval will be given for a gradual reopening of the education system in accordance with updated morbidity data and the findings of the Gertner report on infection among children.
The first stage of the plan has kindergarten children ages 0-6 returning to class in small groups on separate days. Pupils in grades 1-3 will learn in small groups of up to 15 pupils. The rest will remain at home and learn online.
Restoring the education system to activity will require small and fixed groups and the strict maintenance of the rules of social distancing and hygiene.
Children from at-risk populations will not be integrated; neither will those children with family members – who live with them – from at-risk populations.
Similarly, Netanyahu chaired a discussion with the chairmen of the open-air market committees in order to formulate an outline for the gradual reopening of the markets.
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) – in cooperation with the Economy and Industry Ministry, the Health Ministry, the National Security Council (NSC) and open-air market committee representatives – will formulate an outline to gradually reopen the markets subject to a regulation of the entry to the market areas and maintenance of the rules of social distancing as per the ‘purple badge’ standard rules.