Ashdod Parents Fight for School Placement Ahead of New Year
Over 100 children in Ashdod are facing the start of the school year without a place to study, as parents of students in the state-religious-ultra-Orthodox (Mamach) educational framework struggle to find a suitable school building. Parents have repeatedly appealed to authorities but claim no solution has been found, leaving their children without a defined educational setting.
Parents involved in the struggle, highlighted in a video by "Yalla Tikva," describe months of unsuccessful attempts to secure a building. They allege that appeals to relevant bodies have yielded no results, and they are being forced into educational frameworks they do not want for their children. One parent, Sapir Ovadia, stated, "I want to choose the education I believe in for my son, but in practice, I am being forced into the education I do not want."
The situation has taken on a political dimension, with discussions referencing the influence of ultra-Orthodox parties in the education system. Parents suggest that "political motives" are partly responsible for their difficulties, raising broader questions about balancing parental desires with the political structure of Israel's education system. The article questions whether this is a logistical issue or a deliberate attempt to limit a population's development.
The Ministry of Education stated that the legal responsibility for providing a building for an official educational institution lies with the local authority. The ministry is working with the Ashdod municipality to find a solution. The Ashdod Municipality responded that it has allocated land for a permanent building and is awaiting Ministry of Education approval. In the interim, they have requested mobile classrooms, but noted the institution was initially established without the municipality's knowledge or approval. Despite this, the municipality agreed to recognize it, based on a declaration that no municipal buildings were needed, which proved inaccurate. The municipality claims it is making efforts but currently has no available buildings, and that the institution is renting its current premises.
