The Knesset Education Committee gave final approval for a
proposal by Education Minister L. Livnat to include Beitar
Illit and Modi'in Illit in the extended school day program
and the nutrition project. At first the program included all
other areas with similar socioeconomic profiles, but left out
those major chareidi cities.
MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni urged the committee not to discriminate
between students from different sectors by including all of
the towns with a low socioeconomic level in the programs.
Committee Chairman MK M. Polishok requested the order be
altered to funnel the additional funding added to the program
budget to towns where the extended school day program is
already in existence for kindergarten through sixth grade, a
move that would have excluded chareidi towns.
MK Polishok said NIS 14 million is needed and the remaining
NIS 6 million should be given to special education where the
extended school day is already in operation, thereby leaving
no funding for the chareidim.
Rabbi Gafni asked that MK Polishok's proposal be rejected in
favor of the order the Education Minister signed to include
Beitar Illit and Modi'in Illit. Despite the Chairman's
objections the proposal passed with a large majority.
