(live here) – The Miftan School in Kiryat Yam is expected to close at the end of the upcoming school year, after decades in which it provided educational and professional support to youth who had difficulty integrating into other settings, and served as an envelope for them that they did not receive in any other setting.
This is a vocational-theoretical school, attended by students who have experienced significant difficulty integrating into middle and high schools in the education system. Alongside theoretical studies, the students receive training in professions such as carpentry, printing, welding, pastry, baking and hair styling. These days, the difficult question arises: Why close the only place where they succeeded?
A final answer for boys and girls
Miftan Kiryat Yam is no longer a school. Its students, many of whom are residents of Kiryat Yam, come to it after being expelled from the regular education system, and in fact it is almost a last stop before they drop out completely. This school – unlike other institutions – does not give up on the youth who come to it. Miftan is unusually careful not to label its students as “failures,” and allows them to flourish – each in their own way, at their own pace and according to their abilities.
The special pedagogical model combines theoretical learning with practical vocational acquisition, and provides students with two certificates upon graduation: a vocational certificate and a formal education certificate, sometimes also a matriculation certificate.
5 students in a class – personal attention
Today, Mittan has a small group of students in three age groups (10th-12th), so the classes are extremely small – sometimes five or six students per class. Of course, in previous years the number of students at the school was much higher. In the regular education system, this creates a budgetary problem, but here it is a rare opportunity for personal attention that leads to success. At the same time, it cannot be ignored that in recent years the school has suffered from managerial instability.
"They always say that this is where they finally settled down."
Einav Hayon, a resident of Kiryat Yam, regularly comes to the school to have her hair cut. She gets her hair cut not by the students, but by the teacher who demonstrates the craft of hairdressing to the hair styling students. This creates a direct connection between the community and the school.
"I always leave there with a good haircut and a full heart," she says, "but last week they told me that the place was closing and I just didn't understand why. I saw the kids flourishing there. They always tell me how they finally found a setting that suited them, after not being able to get by anywhere else. Why take that away from them?"
Difficult feelings as the deadline approaches
The educational staff is feeling difficult. "We tried everything to prevent the closure," says a source close to the school. "We looked for students, we contacted all the authorities, but we were left with a low number of enrollees. It is impossible to maintain a school with 24 students, even if the school is doing an excellent job."
The Ministry of Education Award – and not by chance
In 2018, Kiryat Yam's 'Miftan' won an award of excellence from the Ministry of Education and Welfare. The award was given to the school for exceptional achievements in learning and professional training, as well as for social contribution, preparation for significant service in the IDF, and personal investment on the part of the educational staff. "We do not give up," the award committee's decisions read, "We see the student as a complete person and prepare him for real life."
The alternatives offered are not suitable for every student.
After the closure, the students will be directed to other settings: schools in the "Atid" network, a "Yadim" school in Kfar Bialik, or an external high school. But the educational staff is concerned – and rightly so.
"I suppose these schools have advantages, but they are certainly not 'tempting.' They certainly do not provide the same emotional response, the same atmosphere, the same personal attention... I am sure there will be a harm - and unfortunately it will not be small."
"If we're doing good – why stop it?"
The central question hanging in the air is simple: If a threshold works – why close it? “I feel sad for the students,” concludes one of the teachers. “I know how difficult it was for them before they got here. I really hope someone wakes up and understands what we are about to lose. This is not just another school. This is a key to life.”
The District Ministry of Education and the Kiryat Yam Municipality issued a joint response:
The Ofek School (from the mythical Mophan) will not open in the upcoming school year. This decision was made in coordination and cooperation with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Social Affairs (the school's operators and funders) out of a desire to provide a more accurate, personal, and effective response to the needs of all students. We appreciate the significant contribution of the school over the years, an educational institution with a deep tradition that has helped many students grow from difficult challenges. However, today it is not possible to justify operating the facility for a limited number of only 16 students.
The students will receive professional guidance and personalized programs, with the goal of integrating them optimally into the education system and community life in the city. Beyond the pedagogical response, this combination is expected to empower the students, reduce the feeling of being labeled, and connect them to the vibrant and meaningful community that is growing in Kiryat Yam, in sports activities, soccer, ninja, the conservatory, surfing, youth movements, and other educational projects taking place in the city.
Alongside the students, the dedicated educational team of Miftan will also receive all the support and attention they deserve, out of deep appreciation for their many years of work and their significant contribution to education in the city. The history of Miftan will remain engraved in the community's memory. And we are here to accompany those who have walked it on a new path, with a smile, with hope and with faith in them. The local authority, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, will continue to accompany the process with sensitivity and commitment, in full cooperation with the professional bodies, with the goal of ensuring a better educational and personal future for every student."
It is very possible that the municipality received an offer for the valuable land... or as happens in all cities... they are not willing to make an effort for the residents.
Sad, shameful and upsetting.
This is what happens when economists are in charge of education.