(live here) – Due to concerns about a missile attack from Iran on the State of Israel, and the tense security situation, there will be no physical classes tomorrow (Sunday, 15/6/2025) at all educational institutions in Haifa - including schools, kindergartens and institutions of higher education.
Education Minister Yoav Kish has decided, in accordance with Home Front Command guidelines, that all week, until 21/06/2025, school classes will be held remotely. In addition, classes in special education schools have also moved to Zoom, and the matriculation exams, which were supposed to take place this week, will be postponed until the next school week. This means that middle school and high school classes will end without students coming to school again, which means that students will not be able to say goodbye to their teachers and receive their certificates.
All schools in Haifa are switching to distance learning
Physical classes will not take place tomorrow in elementary, middle and high schools throughout the city of Haifa – including state, religious and Arab institutions. Over the weekend, school administrations were organized accordingly to transition to distance learning.
The Real: Emphasis on personal meetings at Beit Biram
At the Hebrew Reali School in Haifa, there will be no physical classes, but it was decided to combine group lessons with personal meetings.
In the upper grades of Beit Biram, personal meetings between teachers and students will be held tomorrow via Zoom, in order to maintain personal study continuity and provide a tailored response to those who need it. At the same time, in the lower grades, group lessons will be held via Zoom according to an adjusted schedule. The emotional and educational support teams will also continue to provide remote support.
Special education – closed until further notice
According to the Home Front Command's instructions, as with the rest of the education systems, special education institutions in Haifa will not open tomorrow. These include both designated schools such as the "Ofakim" school on the Sea Road, and special education classes integrated into regular schools. Despite the importance of the educational and emotional continuity for special education students, the frameworks were not exempted from the school closure, as has happened in the past in emergency situations. The teaching staff is still awaiting instructions regarding the method of distance learning and whether they will be required to come to the institutions in order to teach from there.
Kindergartens will remain closed, parents are required to prepare
Kindergartens across the city will not open tomorrow, and children will stay home. For many parents, especially for young children ages 3–6, this means having to find immediate childcare arrangements during the workday.
Even if short Zoom meetings are held to maintain contact, this is only a partial activity, requiring the presence of an adult at home. In the absence of an alternative arrangement, working parents may be absent from work or work from home while trying to juggle young children with professional commitments.
Higher education institutions – moving to distance learning
The Home Front Command has also ordered the cancellation of physical studies at institutions of higher education, including the University of Haifa, the Technion, WIZO College, Gordon College, and other institutions in the city. The Technion has already announced that studies will be held remotely on at least Sunday and Monday. The University of Haifa is also expected to switch to an online format, but an official announcement has not yet been made. In addition to the teaching challenges, these institutions are facing disruptions due to the recruitment of many lecturers and students into the reserve, following Operation "Ami Kalavi."
Matriculation exams: Uncertainty surrounding their holding next week
This week, three major matriculation exams are scheduled to be held – on Monday in history, on Tuesday in biology, and on Thursday in additional subjects: music, Middle Eastern studies, computer science, and more. Currently, Education Minister Yoav Kish has announced that the matriculation exams are postponed for a week. A reconsideration of the issue will be made in accordance with the guidelines of the Longitudinal Command during the week.
If physical learning does not return soon, the exams may be postponed, or held from home – as was done in the past during the Corona pandemic, when an online exam accompanied by cameras was introduced. Many parents express concern about a situation in which students will be forced to take the exam from home under unequal conditions, without effective supervision, which could raise issues of credibility and fairness.
Graduation ceremonies and graduation parties – canceled or postponed
Events planned for the coming week – end-of-school ceremonies, honors ceremonies, distribution of certificates, farewells to educators – have been canceled or postponed until further notice.
Particularly notable are the cancellations of twelfth grade ceremonies, including planned graduation parties that were supposed to be held soon, after the completion of the matriculation exams. Since a significant portion of graduates enlist in the military as early as early August, a significant postponement could lead to the complete cancellation of graduation events.
Emergency routine in the education system – a familiar, but difficult challenge
The Israeli education system has already experienced emergency routines – during a military operation in the south, a war in the north, and during the coronavirus pandemic. Nevertheless, combining security tension with the need to operate a distance learning system within a few hours poses a significant challenge for teachers, parents, and students alike. It seems that the coming week will also be marked by improvisation, flexibility, and daily coping with a changing situation.
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