Serious deficiencies in kindergartens in the unrecognized village of Al-Jara in the Negev

Kindergartens in al-Jara. Photo: Attorney Abeer Joubran

The village of al-Jara in the Negev is an unrecognized village that is not within the jurisdiction of any local authority, so the responsibility for kindergarten education lies with the Ministry of Education. The Ministry of Education contracted with the al-Kasom Regional Council, a Bedouin regional council in the Negev, and provides it with budgets to manage registration and operate the village’s four kindergartens on its behalf. 

On July 16, 2025, ACRI sent an appeal to the al-Kasom Regional Council and the Ministry of Education on behalf of parents of children in the four kindergartens in the village, due to major issues within the kindergartens: lack of connection to water and electricity; serious plumbing issues; dangerous hazards in the yard such as an exposed toilet and pipes, old and unused playground equipment, broken chairs, and tall weeds; and shortage of cleaning supplies, toys, and educational equipment. In the absence of the basic supplies necessary for maintaining a proper and safe educational routine, over one hundred children were not sent to kindergarten and have remained at home since the beginning of the school year in September. In the appeal, attorney Abeer Joubran emphasized that the children's rights to equality, quality education, and normal development were being violated, and requested that the issues be dealt with so that the kindergartens could resume their operations. 

Following our appeal and a visit we made to the village, the four kindergartens in al-Jara were connected to water and electricity, and pruning work and repairs to the plumbing and toilets were carried out. The children returned to kindergarten, and we are continuing to monitor the situation to ensure that all remaining repairs are completed. 

ACRI’s appeal, September 16, 2025 (Heb)