The agreement is aimed at ending the impasse that led to a nationwide teachers strike at public schools. This is affecting students at a time when the Medina administration has doubled funding available for public education. The teachers were seeking a 100% wage increase and the Ministry had offered a minimum of RD$15,000 per work shift. As a result of the agreement, the teachers have gone back to work while the discussions continue.
from the DR1 news
I am so happy about this. It represents a HUGE leap for the country and is a cause for dancing and celebration. So often the respect of a community is determined by how much they are paid and when teachers and police are paid such terrible wages, it is a reflection of the respect in which their professions are held.
Heretofor,the private schools here could pay US $1500 a month and be considered a good living. They get 13 months wages and only work for 10 monhs. So that indeed puts them in the middle class.
But the public school teachers would only get $700 a month if they worked TWO four hour shifts and they are working in much more difficult circumstances with kids who have much less support at home, whose parents are often illiterate.
Most educators.. and I dropped out twice of the masters in education programs!// say that a teacher can only effectively handle five hours of classroom and that for every hour of classroom, another hour of home prep is required in preparing for class and grading tests and homework.
Now, for instance, all these English teaching schools pay their teachers a maximum of 300 pesos an hour. That is less than $10/// ok.. now I have to do the math..
I pay $250 pesos for a pedicure.
All I know is that I cannot teach English at 300 pesos an hour since if i taught for two hoursk I would come home with 200 pesos in my pocket after i pay for the cab.
from the DR1 news
I am so happy about this. It represents a HUGE leap for the country and is a cause for dancing and celebration. So often the respect of a community is determined by how much they are paid and when teachers and police are paid such terrible wages, it is a reflection of the respect in which their professions are held.
Heretofor,the private schools here could pay US $1500 a month and be considered a good living. They get 13 months wages and only work for 10 monhs. So that indeed puts them in the middle class.
But the public school teachers would only get $700 a month if they worked TWO four hour shifts and they are working in much more difficult circumstances with kids who have much less support at home, whose parents are often illiterate.
Most educators.. and I dropped out twice of the masters in education programs!// say that a teacher can only effectively handle five hours of classroom and that for every hour of classroom, another hour of home prep is required in preparing for class and grading tests and homework.
Now, for instance, all these English teaching schools pay their teachers a maximum of 300 pesos an hour. That is less than $10/// ok.. now I have to do the math..
I pay $250 pesos for a pedicure.
All I know is that I cannot teach English at 300 pesos an hour since if i taught for two hoursk I would come home with 200 pesos in my pocket after i pay for the cab.