Students on the Front Lines in the North Must be Granted Exam Accommodations
- ACRI
- 21 hours ago
- 2 min read
On March 24, 2026, ACRI appealed to the Minister of Education and senior officials in the ministry with an urgent demand to establish an outline specifically addressing the guidelines for matriculation exams for students in the conflict zone in the north. Although the Ministry of Education published a general outline for the 2026 summer matriculation exams, it did not address the unique needs of students who live on the front lines. These students have had to deal with a prolonged evacuation after October 7, during which educational gaps deepened, and are currently suffering from ongoing anxiety and a constant routine of sirens. Attorney Tal Hassin notes in the appeal that many of the students are dealing with serious emotional, social, and educational difficulties, and are also grappling with conditions that essentially do not allow for uninterrupted learning or any real preparation for the exams.
Applying a uniform set of guidelines to all students violates the right to an education and the right to equality for students in the north, who are required to take exams under extreme conditions and that do not reflect what they have actually managed to learn. Consequently, the matriculation exams could become another obstacle that punishes students for life circumstances beyond their control, and risks widening the not-insignificant educational gaps that already exist, and harming the students' chances of eligibility for higher education. ACRI is demanded that a separate outline be immediately published with guidelines specifically for students on the northern front line. We also requested that additional time and choices be expanded beyond the concessions granted to all students this year.
The day after our request, a new outline for the matriculation exam was published, and it was determined that additional specific adjustments would be published for students on the front line in the north. We will continue to monitor the situation and ensure that the rights of students in the north are not violated.
