The Ministry of Education announced Thursday in a statement that school administrators across the country will return to work following the closure of all educational institutions in light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.The only administrators that will be allowed to return according to the statement will be school principals, deputy principals, secretaries and janitors, who will prepare for the return of the educational system to a graded curriculum, prepare for summer schools, promote distance learning and complete student enrollment for the next school year.The work allowed by the Education Ministry will also be routine, consisting of secretarial work, budget management, accounts, payments, registrations, registration management, student acceptance for next year, regular logistics and managing grades.Commenting on the announcement, Education Minister MK Rafi Peretz said that "step by step, the education system is returning to routine. We are constantly working to bring the education system back as soon as possible, and returning the administrative staff of the schools is another step on the way there. Returning the education system to routine is critical for students, the economy and the entire country, and I will do as much as I can to make this return soon."Shmuel Abubav, Education Ministry director-general, also remarked, saying that "we are continuing our efforts to ensure that the education system is ready for a gradual return of students to kindergartens and schools. Alongside this, we are working to advance the necessary steps to open the summer activities and open the education system in the next school year." Estimates published by the Bank of Israel on Thursday showed that parents being absent from the workplace, due to the closure of the education system, costs the economy approximately NIS 2.6 billion per week.There are currently about 400,000 households in Israel where an employed parent is required to stay at home in order to supervise children who would otherwise be at school or kindergarten, the central bank stated.
