Recently, we blogged about a strike affecting the 26,000 kids in Ashkelon schools -- parents felt the schools weren't being well-protected from missile strikes, so they pulled many kids out. Happily, there has been progress in making schools more secure, so the strike's over.

Below is a blog posting from Sigal of the 'Focus on Ashkelon' blog, whose kids are in Ashkelon's schools.

The Minister of Religious Affairs, Itzhak Cohen has notified Shlomo Cohen, Ashkelon's Deputy Mayor, that the government has approved the plan to fortify the unprotected schools and kindergartens in Ashkelon against rocket attacks. Minister Cohen, a resident of Ashkelon, assisted the communication between Ashkelon and the government - with the help of Yuli Tamir, the Minister of Education.

The program will start in schools and kindergartens that currently have no bomb shelters or other protection against rocket attacks. The project will be funded by the Ministry of Defense. Mobile reinforced concrete shelters ("Miguniyot") will be placed in schoolyards.

Mayor Benny Vaknin said that he hopes the execution will be quick and take place without delay - because of the security situation. Saturday's rocket attack, where a missile damaged a school, was a graphic demonstration of what can happen in the case of unprotected educational institutions.