Ha’Gan Ha’Shikumi was the brainchild of Prof. Naomi Amir, over four decades ago. The rationale behind it was, and still is, that intelligent children with special needs – neurological, motor or linguistic – require an intensive rehabilitative framework at a young age, in which the child’s physical and mental development may be assisted in the most significant way while working with the family.
Ha’Gan Ha’Shikumi is now a cluster of kindergartens designated for children of ages 3‑7 with motor and language difficulties but with normal learning ability. The kindergarten cluster is managed and supervised by the Ministry of Education, in cooperation with the Jerusalem Education Administration and assistance of the Hagshamah NPO.
The kindergarten cluster includes 10 classrooms, with 8-12 children each. The children are placed in kindergartens according to age and learning ability, regardless of the nature and degree of their motor or linguistic disability.
The children are assigned to kindergartens by the Ministry of Education placement committees.
The school year in Ha’Gan Ha’Shikumi matches the Ministry of Education school year, pursuant to the Special Education Law. Under the law, the kindergarten children are entitled to transport to and from the kindergarten. The local authority is in charge of providing this transportation.
The kindergarten is open Sunday-Thursday 07:30-15:00 and on Friday 07:30-12:45.
The kindergarten runs an integrated rehabilitative educational program, carried out by a broad multidisciplinary team: Educational, medical, paramedical, emotional therapy and volunteers. The kindergarten team works in full partnership with the parents. The kindergarten cluster is managed by an administration from the Ministry of Education, alongside a broad management in which all professional area coordinators participate.
After completing their studies at the kindergarten, the children move up to comprehensive special education frameworks or small classes in regular education or regular classes.
Ha’Gan Ha’Shikumi, as a leading professional center in its field, serves as a place of study and training for many students from various educational and therapeutic areas.