Virtual labs for 9th grade: what to know about the pilot
In the 2026–2027 school year, Israel's Ministry of Education is running a pilot of virtual science and technology labs for 9th grade, based on VR headsets. Here are the main points of the pilot and how proLabsXR meets what it is looking for.
The pilot in brief
- For 9th-grade students in official middle schools, in every sector.
- Headsets are a core component: a full VR/AR experience is required, not a solution based mainly on a website, computer, tablet or 2D simulation.
- The experiments are aligned with the 9th-grade science and technology curriculum, in Hebrew and Arabic.
- Run in a weekly double lesson, with a lead team of 2 to 4 science teachers.
- According to the call for suppliers, about 20 schools are planned, with a budget of up to ₪30,000 per school for services, licenses, supplementary equipment, training and support.
- The pilot is accompanied by research, and is not meant to replace the teacher or the physical lab.
How a school chooses a platform
According to the call for schools, the platform is chosen from the suppliers selected in a separate call for technology companies, and the Ministry's pilot team sets how suppliers and schools coordinate. We recommend asking every supplier for a demo in the headsets themselves, and checking it against the five criteria the Ministry published.
What the Ministry checks, and what proLabsXR offers
Pedagogical quality and inquiry skills
Structured experiments with a question, variables and measurement; a student sheet for every experiment; a personal report for every student.
Added scientific value
Making the invisible visible: the inside of a cell, current in a circuit, energy conversion; hazardous experiments in safety.
Gamification and challenges
Science Island as a framing world, plus Parkland: stations, challenges, keys and feedback.
Collaboration and the metaverse
Real-time multiplayer: the whole class in the same world; six labs including environmental science and robotics.
Readiness to run
Standalone Meta Quest headsets, a teacher portal, Gefen training (24275) and an Israeli team since 2015.
Hebrew and Arabic
The whole product is in Hebrew and Arabic, as the pilot requires, and the system supports Hebrew, Arabic, English and more.
Experiments that touch the middle-school curriculum
- Acidic, neutral or basic? — substances and their properties
- Electric circuit — series and parallel — electricity and circuits
- From height to motion — energy and its conversions
- The Cell Detective — the cell and biological systems
The full mapping against the 9th-grade content specification is presented at the demo meeting. You can also build new experiments with the AI-based experiment creator.
Not in the pilot? proLabsXR is available to every school and every grade level, with a license per headset, class or school bought directly from ProMixed. For implementation and training there are also the Gefen programs.
Frequently asked questions about the virtual labs pilot
What is the 9th-grade virtual labs pilot?
An Israeli Ministry of Education pilot for the 2026–2027 school year, in which 9th-grade students run science and technology experiments in virtual labs based on VR headsets, alongside the physical lab and accompanied by research.
Who can take part in the pilot?
Official middle schools, 9th grade only, in every sector, through the local authority or the school owner. The schools' application deadline for 2026–2027 was 9.9.26.
What budget does a school get in the pilot?
According to the call for suppliers, up to ₪30,000 per school for services, licenses, supplementary equipment, training and support. The call for schools also mentions up to 2 annual hours.
Does a browser-based virtual lab qualify for the pilot?
No. The Ministry requires headsets to be a core part of the experience, and solutions based mainly on a website, computer, tablet or 2D simulation will not be considered. proLabsXR runs on Meta Quest headsets.
Is proLabsXR in Hebrew and Arabic?
Yes. The system supports Hebrew, Arabic, English and more.
Can a school use proLabsXR without the pilot?
Yes. Any school can run the labs at any grade level, with a license per headset, class or school bought directly from ProMixed. For implementation and training there are also the Gefen programs.
More ways to bring proLabsXR to your school
Virtual labs
Six science labs in VR headsets, for every grade level.
Read more →STEM education
Science, technology, engineering and math, inside the headset.
Read more →Content for Meta Quest
Have headsets? Here is the educational content they are missing.
Read more →Guide: VR in schools
Eight steps to bring virtual reality into your school.
Read more →Want to see how it looks in 9th grade?
Book a live demo, and we will show you the experiments against the content specification
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