Colleges and universities, informal education programs and post-high school seminaries and yeshivas can resume in-person classes beginning as early as Sunday, according to a statement by Health Minister Yuli Edelstein, Education Minister Yoav Galant and Higher Education Minister Ze'ev Elkin.
Originally, colleges and universities were only slated to return mid-June and there had been no decision on the other programs.
“I am glad that Israel is returning to normal,” said Edelstein. “In order for us not to return to a state of lockdown, the public must adhere to Health Ministry guidelines. If things do not look OK, we will close down.”
Schools of higher learning will be allowed to provide frontal lectures and offer in-person exams.
All programs that do convene will need to limit participation to 50 people. Attendees must maintain two meters from one another and wear masks. If programs are held outside, a limit of 50 people must still be enforced.
Elkin thanked Edelstein for meeting and working together with him to ensure these activities could resume. He said he planned to continue to work with officials to ensure that the fewest number of students would get sick with coronavirus while still maintaining the country’s level of academia.
The number of active coronavius cases in Israel was under 2,000 on Wednesday.