The village of Bir Al-Hamam has a kindergarten that has been operating for twenty years, enrolling about 30 children ages 3-5 every year. This is the only kindergarten in the village and the only one available to the village children: other kindergartens in the area are either full or require unsafe travel on unpaved roads. Consequently, the kindergarten is always at maximum capacity, and each year about 20 village children fail to secure a spot and remain on the waiting list, forcing them to stay at home.
The village kindergarten was built and supported by the Al-Kasom Regional Council, which last year expanded its activities and began providing transportation for children to the kindergarten. However, in November 2024, parents received a letter from the Regional Council stating that because of deficiencies, the kindergarten would close as of early December, in accordance with the decision by the Southern District Office of the Ministry of Education, and that parents would need to find alternatives. This notice was sent three days (!) before the kindergarten would be forced to close. The parents of the children appealed to the Regional Council and the Ministry of Education to fix the deficiencies and reopen the kindergarten, but two and a half months have passed since the kindergarten's closure without any substantial response to their appeals, or any efforts by the authorities to find alternatives for the children.
On February 18, 2025, we approached the Al-Kasom Regional Council and the Ministry of Education requesting action to fix the issues and reopen the kindergarten. In the appeal, Attorneys Abir Joubran and Elza Bugnet noted that the Compulsory Education Law applies to these kindergarten children, and that closing the kindergarten with barely any notice, and under thin reasoning without any attempt to deal with the issues in the kindergarten or provide alternatives, is a major violation of the rights of the children to an education, as well as their rights to equality and proper development. This is particularly egregious given that only about 83% of children in Bedouin society are enrolled in kindergartens, compared to about 100% enrollment in Jewish society. Joubran and Bugnet further argued that the decision to close the kindergarten without providing an alternative goes against reasonable standards of educational policy and contradicts Supreme Court rulings regarding the State's obligation to provide accessible and equal education.
ACRI’s appeal, February 18, 2025