After attacks on Dimona and Arad, Education Ministry says all schools to go remote on Sunday and Monday

All in-person instruction at Israeli schools will be cancelled on Sunday and Monday in the wake of Saturday’s Iranian missile strikes on the southern cities of Dimona and Arad, which left dozens injured, Education Minister Yoav Kisch announces.

“In light of the attacks in Dimona and Arad” and in consultation with the IDF Homefront Command, “I have decided that on Sunday and Monday all exceptions will be canceled and no face-to-face learning will be approved in the education system, including the cancellation of exceptions for special education,” says Kisch, signaling a return to distance learning.

Following a two week break in studies due to the war with Iran, schools in areas deemed at lower risk from missile fire began welcoming children back last week. Schools in those areas, marked “yellow” according to a government color-coding system, were allowed to open provided they have protected areas where students can shelter during missile fire.

However, several cities and towns, including Dimona, the southern coastal city of Ashkelon and the West Bank settlement of Ariel, announced they would not reopen schools despite being allowed to do so under Home Front Command guidelines. On the first day back, less than half of eligible students returned to classrooms, according to Education Ministry data released at the beginning of last week.