Israel Expands Summer School Program With AI Training for Young Students

Israel’s government announced an expanded summer school plan on Wednesday that will include artificial intelligence and technology training for young children.

The program will run from July 1 through July 31 for kindergarten students and children in first through third grade. That adds 10 days to the regular summer framework.

The government says the goal is to help students recover from learning gaps caused by wartime disruptions while also giving them early exposure to the skills needed in a technology-driven world.

Focus on Core Subjects and Technology

The July program will include small-group learning in language, math, and English. It will also introduce age-appropriate lessons in technology and artificial intelligence.

According to the plan presented by the government, the younger age groups will receive more enrichment and supervised care, while older students will see a stronger focus on technology-based learning.

Students in fourth through sixth grade will also have summer activities, but those programs will not be extended. For students in seventh through ninth grade, the program is set to run only from June 21 to June 30.

Netanyahu: Israel Must Prepare Children for AI

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented the move as part of Israel’s wider push to stay ahead in cyber, innovation, and artificial intelligence.

Netanyahu said Israel had already proved skeptics wrong in cyber and argued that AI is the next major field where the country must lead.

“This coming summer vacation, we will operate special frameworks for Israeli children, and as part of that, we will train them in artificial intelligence,” Netanyahu said.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said the program is not only about replacing missed school days. He said the government also wants to speed up learning and bring AI into the education system.

Smotrich said artificial intelligence is expected to change daily life and education in a major way, making it important for students to begin learning these tools early.

More Than 1 Billion Shekels for Summer Education

Education Minister Yoav Kisch said the government will invest more than 1 billion shekels in education programs over the summer.

Parents will pay participation fees based on income level. According to Kisch, the fees will range from 5 shekels to 30 shekels.

The final plan is narrower than Kisch’s earlier proposal. He had pushed to extend the summer program by three weeks and include students through ninth grade after the war with Iran.

Finance Ministry officials opposed the broader version, saying there was no clear budget source for it and that the proposal had not been properly coordinated.

A Limited Expansion With a Clear Message

The program does not cover all students in the way the Education Ministry originally wanted. Still, it marks a clear government priority: closing learning gaps while pushing Israeli education toward AI and advanced technology.

For young students and working parents, the July extension will provide more structure during the summer break. For the government, it is also a statement that Israel intends to keep investing in the next generation, even after a difficult school year shaped by war.