Ahead of the school year: The Ministry of Education issues new guidelines
A total ban on mobile phones during breaks, cancellation of zero-period classes, limitation of school bag weight, adaptation rules, and payments: The Ministry of Education publishes official procedures for the 5787 school year.
Ahead of the start of the 5787 school year, the Ministry of Education is publishing a set of guidelines and procedures concerning students and parents. Among the topics on the agenda are parental payments, personal accident insurance, school bag weight, school hours, school uniforms, the use of mobile phones, and the adaptation of children in kindergartens.
Regarding parental payments, the only additional payment defined as mandatory for all parents is personal accident insurance. Alongside this, there are voluntary payments for activities such as tours, trips, graduation parties, plays, and the cultural basket.
Also, the additional curriculum program (TALAN) is subject to the explicit and written consent of each parent individually. The consent of the parents' committee is not sufficient to obligate a specific parent to pay.
On the subject of insurance, every student in the education system is insured by the local authority with personal accident insurance. According to the guidelines, the insurance provides coverage in the event of bodily injury resulting from an accident anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day and every day of the week. The coverage also includes weekends, afternoon hours, and vacations, even when the incident is not related to the school. In addition, the coverage is extended to stays abroad as part of official activity on behalf of the educational institution or the authority.
The school day routine also includes several rules. The weight of the school bag, including textbooks and peripheral equipment, should not exceed 15% of the student's body weight.
In middle schools and high schools, there is a ban on holding zero-period classes. Classes are supposed to start at 08:00, while in religious schools it is permitted to start earlier for prayer purposes only, but not before 07:00.
Regarding school uniforms, it is forbidden to send a student home or punish them if they arrived without a school uniform. In addition, school teachers must allow students to go to the restroom during the lesson according to their needs and by coordination.
Adaptation rules have also been set in kindergartens. Children aged 3 to 4 who are entering kindergarten for the first time will study on the first day until 10:00, on the second day until 11:00, and from the third day will return to a full routine. Children continuing for a second year in kindergarten will start a full day from the very first day.
Another change concerns the use of mobile phones. In elementary schools and middle schools, there is a ban on the use of mobile phones throughout the entire school day, including during breaks.
