Over 200,000 children sign up for Jerusalem summer program

The Jerusalem Municipality stated that the program will focus on closing emotional, social and academic gaps formed during the challenging COVID-19 school year.

Israeli kids wearing school bags ahead of the first day of school and kindergarten outside their home in Jerusalem on August 31, 2020, The Israeli secular state education system will open tomorrow.  (photo credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)
Israeli kids wearing school bags ahead of the first day of school and kindergarten outside their home in Jerusalem on August 31, 2020, The Israeli secular state education system will open tomorrow.
(photo credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)
More than 200,000 children have signed up for the Jerusalem Municipality's "Summer Holiday School" program, the municipality announced on Sunday.
The program, operated by the municipality's Education Administration and the Lavy Association, is set to start in July.
This year's program will include the enrichment of cultural, social and creative activities. In contrast to last year, during which the program was only open to students in kindergarten through grade four, the program has been expanded to pupils in grades five through eight.
In addition, the municipality stated that the program will focus on closing emotional, social and academic gaps that have been formed during the challenging COVID-19 school year.
The municipality also announced that out of the 204,518 children who have signed up, 41% (83,868) of them are from the ultra-Orthodox sector, 36% (74,588) of them are from the Arab sector and 23% (46,062) of them are from the secular sector.
"Jerusalem's education programs continue to prove their commitment to every child in the city. The numbers show the public has given us their full confidence," said Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion in a statement.
"We will continue to promote innovative education for all residents of all sectors," Lion added.