The Israeli government announced that the school year will be extended until July 13th this year due to the cancellation of two months of school due to the coronavirus crisis.

Furthermore, a special “summer school” is being established for kindergarten through 4th grade from July 14 to August 6th to assist parents who have recently returned to work and to help stabilize the economy.

In order to extend the school year until July 13, teachers are working an extra nine days in lieu of the days off they had during the lockdown.

The school extension and the summer school program will cost the Israeli government NIS 700 million, according to a statement by the Prime Minister’s Office spokesperson.

“The plan to continue schools operating through the month of July and into August was built in an effort to assist working parents and return the economy to full capacity,” an education ministry official said.

“Furthermore, it was also our goal to minimize the education gaps that students developed during the coronavirus crisis. It is our hope that parents will now be able to maintain a regular schedule at work during the summer as well. During regular years, parents have to pay for short summer camps. The deferral of summer vacation will save a great deal of money that will then be put back into each family’s budget and we hope that this too will spur the economy forward.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)