After months of uncertainty and fear among thousands of families regarding the additional payment of hundreds of shekels a month, the battle over payment for the kindergarten afternoon programs has come to an end in some cities.

The Ministry of Social Affairs announced that it would also subsidize the programs under the supervision of the Ministry of Education, including those in ‘eskolot 6’ and above, which remained outside the Ministry of Education subsidy.

Since the beginning of the school year, thousands of families in Israel, including quite a few chareidi families, suddenly discovered that because they live in cities rated higher than the ‘eskolot 6’ rating pertaining to the socioeconomic ranking of the Ministry of Education, they will have to pay every month for their children’s afternoon programs, placing a significant economic burden on the families.

The reason for this is a reform led by Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon, who felt removing the government subsidy will encourage additional parents to get out and join the workforce.

However, parents of kindergarten children ages 3 to 6 in many cities, especially in the chareidi areas in the mixed cities, including Petach Tikvah, Rehovot, Netanya, and others, found that there was no budgeting for their children and that they would have to pay a full price for afternoon daycare, amounting to NIS 800-900 per child monthly, due to the lack of budgetary arrangement between the Ministries of Welfare and Education.

Now, as noted, after much effort and ongoing negotiations, as well as the tenacious efforts of Degel Hatorah chairman MK Moshe Gafni, the Ministry of Social Affairs approved the budget for the ‘Tzahronim’ afternoon programs and the arrangement, which is currently in existence as in previous years – according to the income of each family, and not by urban rating.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)