A total of 53,800 students, kein yirbu, took to the
classrooms at various schools and kindergartens in Bnei Brak
this year, up from 52,100 last year, posting the largest
relative increase in the entire Dan Region.
According to City Secretary and Spokesman Avrohom Tanenbaum,
1,578 children are enrolled in chareidi kindergartens
("gan chova"), 2,484 in chareidi nursery schools, 203
in chareidi special-education kindergartens and nursery
schools, 64 in government kindergartens and nursery schools,
498 in government-religious kindergartens and nursery schools
and 31 in government-religious special-education
kindergartens and nursery schools.
At the elementary school level 13,580 students are enrolled
in 27 chareidi schools, 1,378 students are enrolled in 6
government-religious schools and 11,232 students are enrolled
in 48 municipal and public talmudei Torah.
In the upper grades, 7,320 students are enrolled in
yeshivos ketanos, 4,485 girls are enrolled at seven
high schools and 2,130 students are enrolled in one
government and five government-religious schools.
This year 15 new classrooms are slated to open in Bais Yaakov
schools with the help of Mifal Hapayis funding. The new
facilities, at a cost of NIS 6 million, include kindergarten
classrooms and a gymnasium and assembly hall, replacing
temporary, prefab classrooms.
The government-religious special-education school relocated
from Rechov HaRav Uziel to a part of the Lapidot government-
religious school due to poor conditions. Before the move
approximately NIS 500,000 was spent on renovations and
improvements including air conditioning. Talmud Torah Darkei
Ish will take over the old facility.
Based on a new law that takes effect nationwide this year any
parent with a child in a special-education program can
request to have the child mainstreamed into a regular school.
A committee is responsible for making decisions regarding the
requests.
Many roshei yeshivos have also begun accepting
talmidim with special needs. The city participates in
funding transportation costs and a decision regarding
mainstreaming is currently being advanced in the City
Placement Committee.
The Department for the Advancement of Youth, the Municipal
Department of Education and the Department of Social Services
are working on arrangements to send hard-to-place
talmidim to various Torah institutions around the
country--in Ashdod, Nachliel and Kfar Zeitim, for example--
where limudei kodesh are combined with work in
orchards and animal husbandry.
Despite the current financial circumstances Mayor Rabbi
Yissochor Frankentahl, along with municipality board members
and Education Department heads Rabbi Yissochor Dov Beigel and
Mr. Yaakov Solar, and Department Director Rabbi Yohonoson
Safra, has decided to spend NIS 1 million to replace worn
desks and chairs in various schools and to purchase
furnishings for new classrooms, using Mifal Hapayis and
municipality funding.
