Part of grade three and four social studies, and yes it is in their textbooks, but it is the quality of the teacher education that is the real problem.
Why should all the blame rest with he teachers? I am not familiar with the DR education system, only to bear witness of the quality of student it tends to produce.
IMO, there are two primary sources of the problem;
a. government, for not paying sufficient salaries to qualified teachers.
b. Parents, for not being more involved in their child's education. As a child, if I brought home anything less than a C on my report card, I was first given a lengthy lecture about the importance of obtaining a good education, and then, measures were put into place to to ensure that grade was raised at least one level.
Last year, my GF wanted me to buy her baby brother (8 y/o) a laptop for merely graduating from one grade to the next.
I fear that this circle will be very hard to break.