Four schools in Elad affiliated with the dati leumi community may not open their doors next week along with the other nation’s schools. The reason is the state of dangerous disrepair of the buildings. The dati leumi community in Elad blames the sad state of these schools on City Hall, which they accuse, continues to concern itself with chareidi mosdos at the expense of their schools.

If this is the case next week, some 1,000 students in Elad will not return to school in a timely fashion. According to Shalom Stimler who heads the Amiad School PTA, his vaad will not permit the children to return to school, citing falling drop ceiling tiles, major electric hazards, peeling and collapsing walls and doors and many other serious safety hazards.

The same is true for the other three dati leumi schools, the Noam Boy’s School, Nachla Girl’s School and the Reishit Chachma School. Dati leumi city councilman Shai Natan concurs, warning he and his colleagues cannot permit students to enter the buildings in question due to serious hazards that have been ignored for too long. Natan holds the education portfolio on the city council.

Estimates signal 500,000 NIS is required to bring the schools to a safe standard. Education Ministry officials responding to the report indicate they will find the money and the schools will be repaired.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)