Education and the law (sending kids to school)

[HUG]

I expect this is one of those ones that nobody knows exactly what the law has to say on this. And we all know that this is a one of those that if it is a legal obligation to school your children, then it is not enforced.

But out of curiosity, does anyone actually know what the law says on this?

I know in the UK that parents have been sent down for not enforcing education on their children, and no I do not expect that in a million years the DR would ever get to that place and therefore it has no relevance, that is real enforcement. But is there anything in the DR at all that encourages parents, as many seem not to be encouraged by the prospect of educated children.

 

[dv8]

ley 66-97: Ley de Educacin: Ttulo I

 

[bob saunders]

The law is not enforce currently. It was under Trujillo.

 

[peep2]

Doesn't look like there is a legal requirement. This is as close as it comes in what dv8 posted ;


Article 20.-the family has an obligation to educate their children in the school-age set out in this Act and be interested in the progress of their children at the school, support the efforts of teachers so that they receive a good education and create in them an attitude positive towards the study and respect for knowledge.


Parents and the community have the duty to help the school, according to its capabilities and intellectual, human and economic capacities in a spirit of cooperation and solidarity.


Family has to take the greatest possible responsibility in terms of out of school moral education and citizenship.sted:

 

[HUG]

The law is not enforce currently. It was under Trujillo.

You might think that since knowing that education is a big let down in DR, this would be worth enforcing above all. I do not mean people in every slum being arrested for not sending kids to school. But what I do mean is if there is no reason why a child should not be attending school other than a parents laziness then a judge might enforce this. I know people who do not send thier kids to school if it looks like rain, and the school being 50 mtrs away. Or if they want to have a lie in, or the child just decides they don't fancy it that week. Seeing so many kids just wandering the street during school hours with a school a few mtrs away seems just such a terrible thing to me. They can't appreciate education. When quizzed you might get an answer like 'they do not need school, they are intelligent with it or without', which I have had.

 

[wrecksum]

If the rule is enforced in a country which suffers from poverty in many areas then this simply becomes yet another burden on already struggling parents to meet the fees and avoid legal proceedings. This is happening in several other countries and becomes yet another way for the police and school admins to shake down the poverty-stricken further.

For this to be made compulsory, the schools would have to be completely free, including uniforms,if required,all books and materials and a way to get to the nearest school.
This was implemented in England when I was growing up and worked very well (for me and many more anyway.)

This is unlikely to happen here.
Even if there existed a budget and available money for it, it would most likely be sidetracked by corruption.

For many people in the world, basic shelter, food and water is far more of a priority unfortunately...

 

[Chirimoya]

In my experience of the UK system textbooks, exercise books and most materials were provided free by the schools, but not the uniforms. Maybe if you were on social security benefits there was an allowance for buying uniforms for your school-age children.

In the DR state schools the textbooks are provided but they are not always given to the students.
State employees who have children are paid a bonus (double wage) in August for school uniforms and supplies.
The Solidaridad welfare programme includes subsidies for parents to buy uniforms and school supplies for their children. However, cards are often allocated to the party faithful rather than the poorest families in the community.

 

[Xavier_Onassis]

I know that if a child does not have a proper uniform in Barahona or shoes of some sort (not flip flops), he/she will be turned away and not enrolled. The books used are quite nice, but pretty expensive, and not provided to all students. I think there is some charity that will provide them to some students. The classes are large, and the school day is divided into four hour shifts. At least 20 minutes if every day is taken up in a flag saluting and attendance taking ceremony.

 

[LindseyKaufman]

What I see (of public school parents and kids) is that they don't value schools and education. Again, and again, kids come to my program (classes) often during the time they should be in school. When I ask why they did not go to school, they tell me they are sick. But why then, I ask, are you not too sick to come to classes here? For that, they have no answer.

It always puts me in a mental bind. Do I not allow them to attend my classes, since they didn't go to school? Or do I conclude that education is education and at least they are making an effort to learn somewhere?

Lindsey

 

[HUG]

Things I never get that people talk about. Books are expensive, school supplies are expensive, no they are not. If you look for expensive then it is easy to find, but if you go to any barrio then all this stuff is super cheap. I never get that. People want to bring pens and pencils from abroad, why, they are cheaper to buy in DR.
Uniforms, again, any barrio and you can pick up a complete uniform for a couple of hundred pesos, maybe not new but so why. Shoes, what...... 100pesos, again maybe not new but. Even when I was at school I got handmedowns rather than my parents buying new.
And the schools are free.

And so I do not get it at all, there is no financial reason. The real reason is that parents do not appreciate education, because they have none. Because of this the motivation needs to come heavy handed as that is all they will understand, heavy handed and from educated people.

I see no reason, only excuses.

 

[Criss Colon]

Lindsey, believe me, the kids who are with you are learning far more than those going to public schools in the DR!!!!!!!!!!!!
Keep up the good work!!!!!!!!!!!!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

 

[HUG]

Even if the standard of education is not good, or even bad, learning to go to school, interacting, some kind of discipline is all so very important. It really upsets me that I live near to adults who do not see that and allow new generations of ignorance to come through the family. The kids know no batter, but neither do the parents, I could throttle many of them for being so f-cking dumb.

There is a general gofa living in my street ( i feed him for weeding the side of the street or hauling water or something, same as everyone this is how he exists), he is mid twenties we think, but he has no idea how old he is, nor when his birthday is. The baffling thing about this is that he has a large family and he lives with his parents, and even his parents do not know his birthday or age. That is pretty sad. And he is a lovely guy.

 

[LindseyKaufman]

Lindsey, believe me, the kids who are with you are learning far more than those going to public schools in the DR!!!!!!!!!!!!
Keep up the good work!!!!!!!!!!!!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

I appreciate the compliment, but I won't be here forever. Schools will. Beyond what I can provide, school is the answer.

Malala, who won the Nobel Peace Prize, said that "Going to school is like opening the magic door to your dreams."

I can teach, and in my program kids can learn- perhaps more than in school. Perhaps, not. However, only further and higher education will open the doors for them to walk out of the confines of poverty. And for them, THAT is my goal.

Lindsey