According to officials in local government, the nation’s public schools may open next week, but this may occur without security guards, without office personnel and classroom assistants. They are warning that barring a major change, a strike is all but unavoidable.

They are also warning that if the government approves the current proposed 2009 state budget, which includes a major cut in education funding, the nation’s public school system will collapse.

In place of the annual gathering prior to the opening of the school year, this year’s event became a rally against planned budgetary cuts, with mayors warning if schools open, many essential staff members will be missing, as reported above.

Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav explains approving the proposed budget is tantamount to declaring a “free school year” stressing the national government simply cannot continue to increase the tax burden on citizens.

“Leaders speak of reforms and revamping the system but we cannot do anything without a budget.”

Yahav added that when he began serving as mayor, in 2003, the national government paid 60% of the education budget and the city 40% but during his first term, this changed to today’s reality with the city paying 60%.

Yahav called the current reality unacceptable, stating “They cannot extort additional funds from the municipalities,” insisting the national government must begin carrying its weight and stop trying to place its responsibilities on local government.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)