Subscribe to Print Edition | Sun., March 30, 2008 Adar2 24, 5768 | | Israel Time: 22:31 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 13:37 30/03/2008 Budget problems force closure of top Druze science school By Jack Khoury, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Israel, Education Ministry  A specialty high school in the Galilee village of Yarka geared towards science studies and which is attended by 220 Druze students every day has been shut down due to mounting financial problems, the non-profit organization which runs the school announced Sunday. The group added that the closure will be permanent unless the school does not receive the necessary funds to continue operation. The school's principal, Dr. As'ad Araidi, said the school has encountered budget difficulties over the course of the last few months. Araidi said the Druze municipalities and local townships as well as the Education Ministry have failed to provide the needed support to back the school, which the principal said is unique in that it has earned a reputation for churning out students who excel. "Shutting down the school represents a ringing slap in the face to the Druze community," Araidi said. Advertisement A member of the school's board of directors, Rakaad Hir-Eldin, wrote a letter to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, urging him to personally intervene to save the school. According to Hir-Eldin, the premier pledged to prevent the school's closure during his visit last month with Druze leaders in the town of Kfar Julis. Hir-Eldin said the school was founded six years ago, yet the Education Ministry refuses to recognize it as a regional school, and thus does not provide funding for transportation. As such, the current budget deficit of NIS 3 million is mostly due to the school's bearing the cost of transporting students. "The closure of the school means sending 200 accomplished students home without a matriculation certificate," Hir-Eldin said. "We view this as an educational disaster." "The budgetary problems of the school are known and the matter is being checked by the district director and the minister in hopes of finding a solution to the problem," the Education Ministry said in response Bookmark to del.icio.us   Condemned cinema Dutch Jewish group: Anti-Islam film is 'counterproductive.' Suspecting Syria UN officials: Syria still suspected in Lebanese PM Hariri murder case.   1.   racism again 14:03  |  Sarah 30/03/08   2.   not racism, bureacratic indifference 14:23  |  MarkC 30/03/08   3.   druze science school 14:35  |  kochav ben avraham 30/03/08   4.   Note the Druse themselves have failed to support school 16:37  |  Raymond from DC 30/03/08   5.   3# Kochav, you left Israel for Rochester, New York? 17:51  |  Judah 30/03/08   6.   Education the basis of human understanding development. 17:55  |  H.H.M 30/03/08   7.   That would certainly be very unfortunate 20:33  |  newageblues 30/03/08

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