As the rising coronavirus morbidity has parents worried over the reopening of the school year, Education Minister Yifat Shasha-Biton assured Tuesday that the government had formulated a thorough plan on the matter.
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"I know that some parents have concerns that it won't be easy, but we have a moral obligation to send the children back to school," Shasha-Biton told reporters.
"We have formulated a plan together with the Health Ministry, followed up on by experts and professionals, and we will not hesitate to amend it and adapt to the ever-changing reality."
More than 2 million students have begun their studies at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, having packed their lunches, masks as well as vaccine certificates or negative coronavirus test results. Shasha-Biton said the ministry's main goal for the 2021-2022 school year was to bridge the education gap created by studies disrupted due to COVID.
When asked about parents who refuse to vaccinate their children, the education minister said: "We need to look at the system and take care of all of the students. We called on the parents to vaccinate [their children]. We did what we could in order for the students to arrive at school inoculated. In the end, parents are the ones who decide what's the right thing to do."
As for the matter of unvaccinated teachers, she said it was "under legal investigation."
The Coronavirus Cabinet has mandated the so-called "green passport" vaccine certificate for teaching staff, and as of Sunday morning, only vaccinated educators, or those with a negative COVID test, will be able to enter the classroom.
According to ministry data, as of Wednesday morning, some 90,000 students were currently in self-isolation, 35,000 of those active virus carriers. Some 4,000 teachers are currently in quarantine, with 2,000 confirmed as COVID carriers.
As per coronavirus regulations, schools in cities with low morbidity rates will begin studies in classrooms and at a full schedule. However, in "red" cities – those with a high infection rate – classes with less than 70% of students inoculated will learn from home or outdoors.
Data shows that in seven to ninth grades, at least 56% of students have been at least partially vaccinated, and in 10-12 grades, 81%. Of the teaching staff, at least 87% have received at least their first dose.
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