The Prime Minister's Office and the Education Ministry, this week, concluded the summer camps and activities that were organized for children and young people in Sderot and the communities in the areas adjacent to the Gaza Strip in recent months.  During the academic year, the children are in schools and kindergartens, which have been reinforced against rocket hits as part of the program – being implemented under the aegis of the Prime Minister's Office – to reinforce educational institutions, but during the summer, there was concern the these same pupils would be out in public during the day, exposed to rocket attacks.  Thus, the two offices joined to create the project upon the conclusion of the previous academic year due to the complex security reality in the area.  Over 2,000 kindergarten children, 2,200 of primary school age and thousands of middle and high school age from Sderot and the Ashkelon Coast, Sha'ar Hanegev, Sdot Negev and Eshkol Regional Council areas participated in the project.

Prime Minister's Office Director-General Ra'anan Dinur said: "The areas adjacent to the Gaza Strip receive preferences in every parameter.  We are engaged in structurally reinforcing schools, public structures and residences, at an overall budget of over NIS 1 billion.  Hundreds of millions of shekels are also allocated to benefits for residents in the fields of education, social welfare, employment and infrastructure.  Funding the summer camps was designed to improve life for the children who have gone through a difficult year and to cheer them ahead of the coming academic year.  This is in addition to the security decision to reduce by as much as possible time spent not in any framework and without a protected space nearby.  We will continue to assist the residents of the area throughout the year via structural reinforcement and civilian aid."

Education Ministry Director-General Shlomit Amihai noted her ministry's efforts in support of the education system in the area.

NIS 1.866 billion in Government assistance (NIS 1.264 for structural reinforcement and NIS 602 million in civilian aid) was earmarked for the residents of Sderot, Ashkelon and the communities in the areas adjacent to the Gaza Strip in 2003-2008.