Beduine schools still use pollutant generators, the state delays solution – Israel News

The State is dragging the feet in the plans to eliminate the generators of the Beduine schools in the south of Israel, according to organizations that ask the Superior Court to try to replace the generators and who will present an answer to the State to the Superior Court next week .

The petition, presented by parents of children attending schools in Bedouin villages recognized by the State, where electricity is provided by generators and several NGOs, aims to eliminate generators in favor of alternative sources of electricity.

The generators are a danger to the health of children and teachers, according to organizations signed in the petition, which include the Adam Teva V’din, non -profit Shamsuna, which works to train the Beduino sector, the Union of Public Health from Israel de Israel. Doctors, and the Regional Council of unrecognized peoples.

The petition appointed the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Interior, Social Equality and the Advance of the State of the Ministry of Women, the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Health and two local regional councils as respondents.

The dangers of the use of generators in schools may include a higher risk of fire or even explosion, burns and injuries due to close contact with generators, inhalation of dangerous gases that are released during the use of the generator, the auditory damage of pollution generators Acoustics produces, and even the radiation of large generators, according to an expert report presented with the petition.

Part of a system to supply solar energy to a kindergarten at UMM Batin. (Credit: Raquel Guertzenstein Frohlich)

The generators endanger children, teachers

The petition was presented almost a year ago, emphasized Ortal Saintra, lawyer of Adam Teva V’din.

“Since its submission, another school year has begun, during which thousands of children are forced to remain in kindergartens and schools driven by generators, endangering their lives and health.”

Although the State “has acquired a large amount of bureaucracy, in practice, no specific solution for the approximately 44 educational institutions that currently operate with generators has been implemented,” he added.

“As a result, there is a real concern that in the next school year, it will begin in about seven months, the same children will continue to study in educational institutions promoted by the same polluting generators.”

In response to the court presented at the end of last month, the State said that the Minister of Education had created an interministerial committee to handle “urgent problems within the field of education” in Beduine villages, whose objectives are working to improve education services services For Bedouin students.

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The committee has discussed a series of issues, including infrastructure, he added.

The State also said that it had published a tender to select a company that collects data on the state of the Beduine schools, that a company had been selected and that the process would begin in February.

He added that a new secondary school for students in the Beduino sector had been opened.

South described the fact that the State mentioned the new school an example of the failure of the State, saying that it transferred the students of schools using generators to the new high school, but it seems that the new high school also receives its electricity from The generators.

The State requested more time from the Court, requesting another update in March.

The petitioners also stressed that an immediate solution that the State could use would be the use of solar panels to provide electricity to schools.

“At this time, many children, many of them very young, are forced to learn in schools and kindergartens whose electricity is supplied by polluting generators in a way that endangers their safety and health,” the petitioners stood out in a October response.

They stressed that the solar solution is already providing six electricity gardens, and the generators have eliminated these infant gardens.

This solution not only works to provide childhood gardens their electricity needs, but it is also a financial investment that is paid in less than two years, according to petitioners.

The State said that a plan to use solar energy is waiting for a decision in the Regional Council of Al-Kasom and must be implemented in next year. The State also said that it is investigating other implementations of renewable energy solutions.

“The petitioners have demonstrated in their judicial presentations why the solar solution is feasible and economically advantageous compared to the use of generators and diesel fuel,” said Saint.

“The actions of the State are still general and complex, without providing a specific and immediate solution to an urgent problem, one that can be easily addressed and resolved through simple and fast measures,” he said.

“We make the State reach their senses, stop dragging our feet and take real and immediate measures, such as connecting these educational institutions with solar energy, so that thousands of children can begin the school year in a safe environment free of contamination of the contamination of the contamination of the contamination of the contamination of the air “.