All children in cities, towns, and local authorities coded green and yellow under the government's stoplight system will be returning to school within two weeks, the Corona cabinet decided in the wee hours of Tuesday morning after vigorous debate that included some harsh exchanges.
Education Minister Yoav Gallant welcomed the decision.
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The cabinet decided that high school students in communities with low COVID numbers would return to school this coming Sunday (Nov. 29). A week later, middle school students are slated to be back in the classroom. The cabinet also decided to expand testing for school staff and students alike.
Gallant said in a social media post: "Dear students – it's about time, you're all going back to school, to your classes, teachers, and friends. At the end of a long debate, the ministers in the cabinet adopted a plan the Education Ministry put together, with experts, to open all the schools. Starting this morning, fifth and sixth graders will return to school, followed by high school students on Nov. 29. A week later, middle school students will join them.
"Principals and teachers are prepared to open the schools and along with public health officials we will increase the amount of testing for students and teaching staff to keep you healthy," Gallant wrote.
According to the plan, first and second-grade students will be back in full classes, five days a week, and attend after school programs.
Third and fourth-grade students will be divided into half-class pods and be in school five days a week.
Fifth and sixth-graders will be divided into half-class pods and attend school at least three days a week.
Seventh and eighth-graders will be divided into half-class pods and attend school at least twice a week.
Students in the 10th-12th grades will be split into pods and attend school at least two days a week as part of a framework to prepare them for matriculation exams.
In nursery schools, teachers and assistants will be allowed to work at four different facilities. Teachers of first and second-grade students will be allowed to move between three different classrooms.
Teachers of third to fifth-grade classes will be able to move between four set groups.
Teachers will also be allowed to meet with three set groups of students in the open air, and students can meet up to four staff members for open-air classes.
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