The Committee of University Heads in Israel announced that students who serve a minimum of 18 days of reserve duty a year will receive two academic credits beginning next year.

The decision was announced following a report by the Zionist organization Im Tirtzu, which revealed that the majority of institutions for higher learning opt not to provide students serving in active reserve duty with academic credits, despite being permitted to do so by law.

The report discovered that according to the Council for Higher Education, an institution that awards credits to social activity is permitted to do the same for reserve duty, but only 16 out of the 63 institutions for higher learning in Israel have opted to do so.

“This is a historic day in which the entire society recognizes the hardships and sacrifices made by IDF reservists in order to protect the State of Israel and its citizens,” said Im Tirtzu Chairman Matan Peleg.

“Reservists are the spearhead of Israeli society, ” added Peleg, “and we are very excited and proud that our work led to this important decision.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)