Page 14 - TORCH #1 - Autumn 2015

ISRAELIS SHOW SOLIDARITY WITH CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS
On Monday, 28 September, Christian schools in Israel reopened following a 27 day strike
by teachers and Christian leaders after a dispute over funding was resolved.
The strikes took place after funding for Christian schools was reduced. A decade ago Christian schools in Israel received
45 percent of their funding from the government. Over the years this has been gradually reduced to 29 percent, meaning families whose children attend these schools have to pay more in school fees.
The Israeli government responded to concerns by forming an agreement
with Christian leaders, increasing school funding for the next year and establishing a committee which seeks to address these issues in the future. While the result was good, it was the outpouring of the public which really made the difference.
While these schools are fundamentally Christian, they provide education for
a mixture of students, including large numbers of Christian and Muslim students as well as some Jewish students. These schools are cultural melting pots, with students learning to coexist with different cultures and religions and are one of the best examples of cultural diversity in Israel.
Christian schools also offer a high level of education, boasting some of the best test results in the country.
Christian leaders took the decision to strike at the beginning of the year as they did not feel it was fair that while their schools excelled in education and diversity, they were being squeezed financially. At the same time some other private religious schools were being fully funded by the government.
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