Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has warned that government funding for Chareidi educational institutions will be conditioned on compliance with state-mandated core curriculum requirements, prompting a sharp response from MK Moshe Gafni, who demanded that secular schools be required to teach the 613 mitzvos if the state intends to dictate what Chareidi children must learn.
Baharav-Miara submitted the state’s response to the Supreme Court today in a case dealing with government funding for Chareidi educational networks. The response made clear that funding will not continue without stricter oversight to ensure that institutions are teaching the required curriculum and meeting the government’s core educational standards.
In presenting the state’s position, the Attorney General cited Education Ministry findings that allegedly identified substantial shortcomings in compliance by Chareidi schools.
“Ministry of Education data indicate significant gaps in the networks’ institutions meeting their obligation to teach the full core curriculum, as well as failures in the ability to monitor compliance with these obligations and enforce them”.
Based on those findings, the state said that funding provided to the institutions under the “all children in Israel” framework will no longer be transferred automatically. Instead, continued government support through the program will depend upon individual institutions fulfilling their obligations regarding core studies.
The tougher conditions are slated to begin during the current school year. Among other requirements, institutions will be expected to teach the entire state-prescribed core curriculum, employ appropriately trained teachers, participate fully in government measurement and evaluation programs, cooperate with state monitoring and enforcement procedures, and fulfill all mandated reporting requirements.
Gafni blasted the Attorney General’s position, arguing that the government should not dictate the educational priorities of the Chareidi community while continuing to fund secular schools whose curricula do not include fundamental Torah teachings.
“If she decides what Chareidi students should study, I demand that all Israeli children study the 613 commandments; otherwise, they should not receive funding.”
{Matzav.com}
