Samaria Council Opens New Schools and Kindergartens Amid Population Growth

The Samaria Regional Council has opened the new academic year with over 25,000 students across 28 elementary schools, 11 post-elementary institutions, and 168 kindergartens. This year marks the opening of four new post-elementary schools, including the "Kedma" Hesder Yeshiva in Tapuah, the first special education post-elementary school in Revava, and a religious technological high school for girls in Beitar Illit. Additionally, eight new kindergartens have been established, with six located in new communities in northern Samaria.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Samaria Council head Yossi Dagan inaugurated the "Kedma" Hesder Yeshiva in Tapuah. Smotrich stated that the significant investment in education, amounting to billions of shekels, reflects the settlement expansion efforts in Judea and Samaria. Dagan highlighted the opening of the six new kindergartens in northern Samaria as a "Zionist response" to the area where settlements were previously evacuated and kindergartens destroyed, emphasizing the growth of settlements and a strong educational system.

Elchanan Galat, CEO of the Bnei Akiva Yeshivot and Ulpanot Network, described the opening of Kedma Yeshiva as a "great tidings" and part of their mission to provide deep, meaningful education connected to Jewish heritage and the land, alongside excellence and innovation. Rabbi Arnon Klein, head of the yeshiva, expressed excitement for the students in the newly constructed facility.

The Samaria Regional Council is also implementing a five-year educational plan, backed by NIS 50 million in funding over five years. This initiative aims to strengthen the educational system, expand offerings, and enhance academic excellence in response to rapid population growth and ongoing settlement expansion.