Israeli Education Minister Yoav Galant announced on Wednesday that the new school year will open on Sept. 1 as usual, but with restrictions in place to stem the spread of coronavirus.
Galant told reporters that all classes, including kindergartens, would be capped at 18 students, with students from grade five and up mostly studying remotely.
These students will study in school at least one day a week, said Galant, but in a staggered fashion, with half of each class staying home while the other half attends class. Students in grades one through four will attend class in person as usual, but subject to the 18-student cap.
Kindergarten classes will also be split into two groups, with exceptions for larger facilities in which partitions can be installed.
“We are guided by the principle that functioning schools are crucial for the economy,” said Galant. “The cost of suspending the education system could reach NIS 300 million (nearly $90 million) per day, so we must keep schools working for the good of the economy as well as for children’s education.”
