"What the Education Ministry is doing to chareidi education
has not been done in any totalitarian country in the world.
Funding is not transferred properly in any area. Not in the
lower grades, not in the high-school grades, not in the
seminaries, not in transportation and not in talmudei
Torah. Not in anything. Based on the Education Ministry's
conduct we are not in a democratic country at all," said MK
Rabbi Gafni, lashing out at Deputy Education Minister MK
Magli Vahava (Kadima) in reaction to his claims that he does
not make distinctions between one sector and another, but
emphasizes equality and even practices reverse
discrimination.
"According to my world view those who observe the tradition
of any religion and from any sector should be according
respect and granted the ability to meld it into the mandatory
curriculum at schools and the Education Ministry," said
Vahava.
Rabbi Gafni concurred with his remarks and said the Deputy
Minister does indeed raise the banner of equality, "but your
ministry discriminates against us and gives us preferential
treatment headed toward the floor. You do, but your ministry
gives nothing. Check all of the sectors."
The Deputy Minister offered praise for the chareidi education
system's achievements and the students' abilities. Rabbi
Gafni answered he does not need the Education Ministry to
tell him what he already knows.
On the issue of the Meitzav exams administered in the general
education system, Rabbi Gafni said that those tests have been
a total failure and are for the benefit of the school
principals, not to advance students. He said the students are
forced to pay the price — because instead of being
taught, the classes spend large amounts of time reviewing the
test material so that the schools will post high scores.
MK Meshulam Nahari, who raised the subject in the Knesset
plenum, said the time has come to rebuild the general
education system in the State of Israel rather than pursuing
the Meitzav exams obsessively.
The standardized Meitzav exams were to begin being
administered in various chareidi schools. However many
parents objected when rabbonim said that they should not
allow their children to take those examinations.
