MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni, speaking from the Knesset rostrum,
declared that the chareidi education system would not consent
to sign any affirmation regarding the Core Curriculum program
the Education Ministry is seeking to impose on every
educational framework in the State of Israel.
The Knesset deliberated over the matter following a question
submitted by MK Amram Mitzna (Labor), who asked Education
Minister Limor Livnat whether the chareidi education system
was willing to accept the Core Curriculum program as required
by a High Court ruling and whether the Education Ministry
would discontinue funding if it refused to accept it. The
Education Minister took advantage of the opportunity to
denounce the campaign of slander and abuse waged against her
on the issue, as if she had yielded to the chareidim for
failing to implement the Core Curriculum program.
Livnat declared, "The Ministry of Education is determined to
fund [only] educational institutions in the elementary school
system based on the implementation of the Core Curriculum
program in institutions." She also said the program is to be
implemented gradually over the course of five years starting
in 5765 (2005), adding that the chareidi educational
institutions have requested not to obligate them to sign a
commitment to implement the Core Curriculum program just as
other educational sectors are not required to sign.
Rabbi Moshe Gafni, who participated in the discussion,
declared that according to directives by maranan
verabonon, the curriculum at chareidi institutions cannot
be subject to outside intervention. Rabbi Gafni noted that
according to recent studies, chareidi institutions rank far
higher than government schools even in the sciences. MK Rabbi
Meir Porush also spoke at the rostrum, reiterating Rabbi
Gafni's declaration that Chinuch Atzmai institutions would
not consent to outside intervention in formulating their
curriculum. He also attacked the government education system
for knowingly teaching students heresy.
On several previous occasions Chinuch Atzmai heads have
clearly stated that its curriculum is under the exclusive
guidance of gedolei Yisroel and no outside
intervention will be tolerated.
The Education Minister went on to explain that the Core
Curriculum program is a real revolution in Israeli education
and therefore must be done gradually. She expressed hopes
that "the program's implementation in the chareidi sector
would be done with understanding and dialogue, without
confrontations and without hatred . . . There are some
figures who would like us to cut off funding to all chareidi
schools immediately, and this is not going to happen."
She rejected a demand by Knesset Education Committee Chairman
Ilan Shalgi (Shinui) to discontinue funding chareidi
education institutions, saying his remarks are unfounded and
senseless. In a recent press announcement Livnat denounced
"the Knesset Education Committee Chairman's verbal attack
against the Education Ministry on the matter of implementing
the Core program in the chareidi sector." Shalgi demanded the
Education Minister stop channeling funds to chareidi schools
that do not teach according to the Core program which the
State committed to four years ago. In response Livnat said,
"Stopping funding is inconceivable since that would mean
stopping studies at these institutions."
Ranking Education Ministry officials also attacked Shalgi,
saying, "He ought to consult ranking ministry officials to
look into the details of the issue rather than acting on
reports he reads in the media."
In her announcement to the press Livnat said, "Shinui
ministers and MK Ilan Shalgi would like us to stop funding
the chareidi education institutions and send their children
into the streets. We would not even consider that since we
see ourselves as obligated and responsible for the education
of all yaldei Yisrael . . . Shalgi acts based on
political considerations alone."
The Education Minister contacted Knesset Chairman Reuven
Rivlin to complain about the conduct of Education Committee
Chairman Shalgi at a recent committee meeting. According to
Livnat the Education Ministry was invited to participate in
the meeting on the issue of stopping funding for buses to a
specific school in Tefen. Ministry representatives prepared
for a discussion on that matter but to their astonishment the
Committee Chairman decided to hold a general discussion on
cutting NIS 50 million from the Education Ministry's
transportation budget, with Tefen merely serving as an
example.
All of the representatives summoned to appear received notice
of the change in advance -- except for the Education Ministry
representatives. Livnat saw the apparent oversight as a
deliberate act of discrimination against representatives from
her ministry designed as a pitfall for the Education
Ministry, to prevent Ministry representatives from
participating in the discussion with proper preparation.
Livnat says the school-bus budget was cut at the Finance
Ministry's initiative and despite Education Ministry
objections. Finance Ministry representatives did not even
bother to appear at the meeting to discuss the matter.
Nevertheless the Committee Chairman decided to place all
blame on the Education Ministry, thereby harming a long
history of good relations between the ministry and the
committee. The Education Minister has announced she would not
send representatives to Education Committee meetings until
she receives an apology from the Chairman.
