Yocneam Launches School Year With Record Budget and Innovation Hub

Yocneam has commenced the 2026-2027 school year with a festive atmosphere, welcoming approximately 6,047 students, including 351 first-graders embarking on their educational journey. The city has allocated a record budget of 143 million shekels for education this year, an increase of 12 million shekels from the previous year. During the summer break, the municipality invested an additional 3.6 million shekels in renovations, safety upgrades, and maintenance for educational facilities.

A significant highlight of the new school year is the inauguration of a unique innovation space at the Shimon Peres Leadership, Innovation, and Excellence Junior High School. Dubbed the "Researchers, Creators, Advancers" space, it offers a dynamic learning environment designed for the changing world, accommodating group, individual, and personalized learning. The space features a mobile classroom and a "imagination lab" for interactive learning, alongside an upgraded, modern teachers' lounge.

Mayor Roman Peres, along with other city officials and education department representatives, conducted extensive tours of schools and kindergartens on the first day. During these visits, the mayor met with educators and students, emphasizing that children are the central focus of the education system and pledging the municipality's commitment to their success. He personally visited several schools the evening before the academic year began to greet first-graders and their parents.

The tours included visits to various schools, including "Erezim," "Shalhavot Habad," "Tzameret" (which serves students with communication disorders), and "Rimon Tech," which is expanding to include sixth-grade classes. The city's educational leadership also met with representatives from the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Division to ensure a smooth start to the year. The day concluded with a visit to the Arts School.