Schools to reopen in South, Center on Sunday

The Education Ministry is preparing to reopen schools and kindergartens across the south and center of the country on Sunday following the ceasefire that came into effect early Friday morning.Education Minister Yoav Gallant instructed the education system to prepare for 2.4 million students to return to in-person studies in schools and kindergartens shut down during Operation Guardian of the Wall.The return will be staggered over Sunday and Monday, subject to the guidelines of the Home Front Command.Gallant instructed education staff to dedicate the first two days of the school week to providing emotional and social support. A new date for matriculation exams, delayed due to the security situation, is expected to be chosen in the next week.The dates will be selected with the input of students in the affected areas, and the ministry will provide updates as they become available. “Everything is being done to make sure that [the students] succeed,” stressed Gallant.As part of the preparations for the return to school, the Education Ministry has instructed all institutions to conduct safety inspections in the buildings and classrooms before the students arrive. Maintenance teams will check for rockets that may have fallen in the areas surrounding the educational institutions.In addition, the guidelines for students and teachers on what to do in the case of missile fire in time of war will be updated, and teaching staff will provide emotional support alongside regular studies for students who need it.In high schools, teaching staff will provide additional classes to make up for missed lessons ahead of the matriculation exams. The ministry has instructed teachers to be aware of the situation and to adapt and tailor the teaching process in a way that will most help the students.Although the security situation took precedence over the last two weeks, the COVID-19 pandemic is still a threat, and students are to continue to adhere the current Health Ministry guidelines, including wearing masks, upon their return to school.