Seven kindergartens in Tel Aviv stayed shut on Sunday due to a shortage of workers, with city hall warning that dozens more are set to follow, the Kan public broadcaster reported.
Tel Aviv municipality warned that, during the coming month, 17 kindergarten teachers will not be at work due to layoffs, sick leave, or maternity leave.
In the meantime, workers who are leaving are not being replaced by fresh staff, according to the report, with discontent over the situation spreading.
The head of the municipal education department sent a letter to the Education Ministry accusing it of being responsible for the situation by reducing the number of kindergarten teacher training hours, Kan said.
Lacking proper training, many teachers had become despondent and quit, the letter said.
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In the letter, addressed to the Tel Aviv District Education Administration at the ministry, city hall said that at least 13 kindergarten classes will be forced to close every day. The closure of what will amount to some 60 kindergartens a week “is likely to leave about 1,000 children aged 3-6 outside of the education system,” the municipality warned.
Last Friday, 19 kindergartens closed for a similar reason, the report said.
Tel Aviv municipality has been raising the alert over the situation since early September, just after the school year started.
Schools across the country have been reporting shortages of teachers this year.
There was no immediate comment from the Education Ministry.
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